BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Center David Sybesma scored a game-high
21 points as Cal Poly-Pomona defeated Alaska-Fairbanks 65-58 Monday
night in the championship game of the NCAA Division II men's West
Regional tournament.
Cal Poly-Pomona improved to 24-6 overall with its 12th win in
the last 13 games. The Broncos advance to the NCAA Division II
Elite Eight at Grand Forks, N.D., on March 23-26.
Cal Poly-Pomona forward Jeff Bonds had 16 points and seven
rebounds.
Alaska-Fairbanks finished its season 21-9. Guard Brad Oleson and
center Andrew Smith each had 14 points for the Nanooks.
Cal Poly-Pomona never trailed, although the score was tied
twice. The Broncos scored the last nine points of the first half
and held a 36-25 advantage at halftime.
Cal Poly-Pomona extended the lead to 13 points, 43-30, on a
Sybesma 3-pointer with 16:16 left, but Alaska-Fairbanks went on a
14-2 run, with forward Andrew Bourne scoring five of the points, to
close within three, 45-42, with 10:55 to go.
The Nanooks eventually pulled within one, 53-52, on two free
throws by Smith with 3:44 left, but didnt score again until the
final minute, and the Broncos hit 10 of 12 free throws in the last
two minutes to keep the game out of reach.