Aziz, Keely Pace Seattle Pacific to 86-68 Win over UAA
January 16, 2003

SEATTLE (Jan. 16) - Yusef Aziz scored 20 points and Jesse Keely came off the bench for 16 as hot-shooting Seattle Pacific University beat Alaska Anchorage for the ninth straight time on its home floor, 86-68 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Thursday night in Brougham Pavilion.

In snapping a mini two-game losing streak, the Falcons (3-1, 7-6) led wire to wire and shot a season-high 60 percent (32-53) from the field while the Seawolves (3-2, 6-8) made just 33 percent (24-73).

Aziz (Sr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster), operating inside primarily, hit 8-13 shots. He scored 14 of his points in the second half, when UAA got no closer than 13. Keely (Sr., 6-7, Fircrest, Wa./Bellarmine) finished in double figures for the fourth straight game and was 6-8 from the floor.

Seattle Pacific was also efficient (19-23) at the foul line and finished with a 41-33 advantage in rebounds to offset 20 turnovers. Daniel Sandrin (Sr., 6-7, Bothell, Wa.) and Jason Chivers (So., 6-8, Palmdale, Ca.) each snared nine boards.

Peter Bulllock paced Anchorage with 19 points after being hit with three early fouls and playing only ninme minutes in the first period. The other UAA starters accounted for only 10 points and 3-19 field goals. The Seawolves have not won in Seattle since 1991.

Seattle Pacific bolted out of the gate, going in front by nine after four minutes and later by as much as 20, thanks to a persistent defense and frigid shooting by the Seawolves.

Maurice Cato (Sr., 6-0, Fairfield, Ca.) ignited the Falcons' transition game which accounted for 12 points. A trey from made it 13-4 before Anchorage finally got untracked offensively, trimming the lead to 17-14 midway through the period.

But during the final 10 minutes of the half, SPU threatened to run away. A foul and technical on Bullock evolved into a 15-3 run, and a burst of eight straight points made it 42-22 shortly before intermission. Cato topped a balanced attack with eight points as the Falcons converted 62 percent of their field goals.

Aziz had six points as Seattle Pacific reeled off a 10-0 charge to take their biggest lead at 52-29 less than five minutes into the second half. SPU completes the five-game home stand Saturday by hosting Alaska Fairbanks at 7.

UA ANCHORAGE - Durrant 2, Bullock 19, Austin 6, Gallatin 2, Brown 0, Vaughan 4, Drake 8, Stevens 5, Fitt-Chappell 13, Bannarbie 6, Evans 3.

SEATTLE PACIFIC - Aziz 20, Sandrin 10, Chivers 6, Cato 13, Harris 7, Lee 0, Binetti 2, Keely 16, Woodard 8, Cohen 4.

Halftime-SPU 42, UAA 27.