SPU Denied Share of GNAC Title in 105-102 Loss to Central
March 8, 2003

SEATTLE (Mar. 8) - Scott Freymond drove for the go-ahead layup with 45 seconds remaining as Central Washington denied Seattle Pacific University a share of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship by holding off a late Falcon rally for a 105-102 win in the final regular season men's basketball game for both teams at Brougham Pavilion Saturday night.

Yusef Aziz (Sr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster) scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds for SPU, which trailed by as many as 12 in the second half only to take a slim lead in the final two minutes.

Seattle Pacific (12-6, 16-11) remains alive in the NCAA Division II playoff picture, having started the week ranked No. 6 in the West Region.

Eight teams will receive berths in the national 64-team bracket, when it is announced Monday. The regional tournament will begin Friday at a site still to be determined.

The Falcons could have earned a GNAC co-championship with a victory, due to an 83-68 loss by Humboldt State to Western Oregon. Alaska Fairbanks will share the crown with the Lumberjacks.

Central Washington spoiled a three-game season series sweep and snapped a seven-game SPU home win streak. But the Wildcats (10-8, 16-11) are considered a longshot to earn an NCAA berth.

After Aziz tied the game at 99-all on a foul shot, Freymond dribbled the length of the court and converted for a 101-99 lead. Aziz missed an 8-footer at the other end. Kasey Ulin then sank four free throws in the final 25 seconds to offset a three-pointer by Jeff Knudson of the Falcons.

Seattle Pacific got one last gasp when Tony Binetti stole the inbounds pass with 1.8 seconds left but his off-balance, 22-foot trey attempt hit the front rim at the buzzer.

Central led virtually the entire foul- and turnover-marred game. The Wildcats went in front, 71-59, six minutes in to the second half before the hosts gradually came back. Knudson (Fr., 6-7, Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak) connected on a pair of three-pointers during an 8-0 run to give SPU a 95-94 lead with 2:29 left. Jason Chivers (So., 6-8, Palmdale, Ca.) hit tow free throws on the next possession, making it 97-94.

Chivers and Gene Woodard 9Sr., 6-4, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea) each finished with 17 points. Ulin added 18 for the 'Cats, who shot 59 percent from the field.

The teams commited a combined 45 turnovers and 57 fouls.

SPU struggled early on senior night, falling behind by nine in the first eight minutes. Freymond ignited a thee-basket burst which put the Wildcats up 26-17.

Chivers was stopped only by foul trouble in the opening period, sinking all five of his close-range shots but drawing three personals at the other end. A trey by Adam Harris and a pair of free throws by Daniel Sandrin cut the deficit to 54-52 at the break.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON 105, SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 102

CENTRAL WASHINGTON (10-8, 16-11) Freymond 10-15 3-5 23; Ulin 5-9 4-4 18; Thompson 5-8 0-0 14; Bond 6-8 1-2 13; Lewis 4-6 2-2 10; Van Hook 2-2 3-5 7; Swerzbin 2-6 1-1 6; Mitchell 2-4 2-2 6; Thomas 2-5 0-0 4; Boast 1-3 0-0 2; Conner 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 40-68 16-21 105.

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY (12-6, 16-11) Aziz 8-16 5-10 21; Woodard 6-10 5-6 17; Chivers 6-8 5-6 17; Cato 4-11 2-2 11; Knudson 3-5 1-2 10; Keely 3-5 4-8 10; Sandrin 1-3 5-6 7; Harris 1-3 2-2 5; Binetti 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 33-63 31-44 102.

Halftime-CWU 54, SPU 52. 3-point goals-CWU 9-24 (Thompson 4-5; Ulin 4-8; Swerzbin 1-3; Thomas 0-1; Lewis 0-2; Bond 0-2; Freymond 0-3), SPU 5-14 (Knudson 3-4; Cato 1-5; Harris 1-2; Sandrin 0-1; Binetti 0-1; Aziz 0-1). Fouled out--CWU- Van Hook; Mitchell, SPU- Keely; Cato. Rebounds-CWU 31 (Conner 7), SPU 35 (Aziz 11). Assists-CWU 16 (Swerzbin 5), SPU21 (Aziz 7). Total fouls-CWU 34, SPU 23. A-1885