Barker’s Trey Gives Nanooks Win Over Western Oregon

Alaska defeats WOU 79-76 on Kenny Barker’s three with three seconds left.

Photo: UAF Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Kenny Barker nailed a three-pointer with just three seconds left to give host Alaska a topsy-turvy 79-76 men’s basketball victory over Western Oregon on Saturday at the Patty Center.

Barker’s trey broke the game’s 13th tie and gave the Nanooks the narrow victory.

Alaska’s record improved to 15-8 with the victory and to 6-3 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Western Oregon, who upset Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, fell to 7-13 overall and to 2-7 in conference action.

Barker, who had 15 of his 22 points in the second half also had 12 rebounds in the game.

The GNAC’s leading scorer Jushay Rockett had 28 for UAF.

Western Oregon, who shot 60 percent from the field, had a trio of players in double figures—Travis Kuhns (18), Jacob Mitchell (17) and Ryan Schmidt (15).

Kuhns also had a team-best six rebounds and three blocked shots.

WOU trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, before closing on a 11-0 run right before intermission to lead 42-36 at the break.

The Wolves carried their lead through the front part of the second half, before the squads began an exchange of baskets that produced 13 ties—the last coming on a pair of free throws by Alex Swerzbin with 20 seconds left.

Western Oregon will continue road work with a Thursday night encounter at Seattle University, before returning home to play Seattle Pacific on Saturday night

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