ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Chaminade University men's basketball opened up a big first-half lead then held on in the final seconds to secure a 71-65 win over host Alaska Anchorage in the finale of the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center.
 
Austin Pope (Burbank, Calif./North Idaho College), Dantley Walker (Panaca, Nev./UNLV), Braden Koelliker (Kaysville, Utah/Colorado State) and Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State) each had 12 points for the Silverswords as they improved to 2-0, the only unbeaten team in the four-team field.
 
D.J. Ursery led the Seawolves (1-2) with a game-high 21 points.
 
The victory over UAA in Anchorage was Chaminade's first since late in the 1997-98 season when both were members of the Pacific West Conference.
 
Justin Bridges (Atlanta, Ga./Georgia Highlands) contributed with 11 points, hitting 5-of-7 shots with three assists. Nick Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College) had eight points and four assists.
 
Pope had another outstanding all-around contest. Along with his point total, he also snagged six rebounds, dished out five assists, blocked a career-tying four shots and had a steal. Dressler also pulled down six boards.
 
Chaminade bolted out of the gates quickly, building a 23-5 cushion seven minutes into the game their largest lead of the game. But UAA rallied with a 12-3 run in the final three minutes to trim the deficit to just 38-33 at the half.
 
The Seawolves managed to close to within a point (38-37) in the opening minutes of the second half but Bridges scored seven of Chaminade's next nine points to expand the lead to six. Walker hit two of his four 3-pointers as the 'Swords' 12-2 run expanded the lead back to double-digits.
 
Alaska Anchorage wasn't done, managing to tie it at 59 with 4:35 left. Buckets from Pope and Bridges helped give CUH back the lead. Then with 1:36 left and Chaminade nursing a 64-61 lead, Dressler buried triple from the left corner to give the Silverswords breathing room. Dressler then made three free throws to help ice the game.
 
Chaminade shot 43.1 percent from the floor while UAA was 39.7. The 'Swords were out-rebounded 41-28 but made 10-of-26 from long distance while holding the Seawolves to just 4-of-18.
 
For the second consecutive night, the 'Swords' bench played a role with 21 points, Bridges and Anderson accounting for 19 of them.
 
Koelliker was named to the All-Tournament Team after a combined 22 points, eight rebounds on 8-for-15 shooting from the field. Hawai'i Pacific's Jonthan Janssen was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
 
The Silverswords will next be in action at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational on Monday, Nov. 21 at the Lahaina Civic Center to face 14^th-ranked Notre Dame. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. and televised nationally on ESPNU.