Nanook Men's BB Team Defeats WOU, 70-51
FAIRBANKS, AK-The University of Alaska Fairbanks' six-time defending NCAA champion rifle team didn't have anything on the men's basketball team after the way they shot in their game Saturday night.
The Nanooks made 62.5 per cent of their shots in the first half, finished at 58.3 per cent for the game, and went on to a 70-51 victory against Western Oregon Saturday that gave them a sweep of their two-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference series at the Patty Center this weekend.
Western Oregon held the lead for nearly six minutes before UAF used a 9-2 run to take the lead for good. The Nanooks stretched their lead to 10 points, 30-20, on a three-pointer by freshman Chris Jordan (Houston, TX/Milby HS) before a 9-4 run by the Wolves allowed them close to within five points just before the end of the first half.
An 18-8 Nanook run at the start of the second half gave the Nanooks a commanding lead, 54-37 with 11:39 remaining. Senior guard Brad Oleson (North Pole, AK/North Pole HS/Peninsula College) fueled the run with a layup, three-pointer and a pair of free throws. Oleson finished with 21 points in the second half and 35 points for the game. He made 14 of 17 shots from the field, and finished with seven steals to tie the UAF single-game record held jointly by Oleson and by current Head Coach Frank Ostanik.
Oleson finished with three of five three-point shots, and made all four of his free throws. Jordan made five of seven shots from the field and finished with 13 points. Evan Kieling led the Wolves with 18 points, while Garrett Johnson added 10. WOU outrebounded Alaska Fairbanks, 29-21, but the Nanooks forced 26 turnovers and held WOU to 34.6 per cent from the field in the second half in outscoring the Wolves after intermission, 34-22.
"At the start of the season, if you told me we'd be 4-3 and 2-0 in the conference at this time, I'd have been pleased," said UAF head Coach Frank Ostanik. "Brad is an outstanding player and he had a great game. He scores off the glass, he hits threes, he can score in several different ways and he's hard to stop. Now, we'll have a good 10 days of practice, and get ready to go on the road. Some of these guys have never been on the road before, and it will be a new experience."
The Nanooks improved to 4-3, 2-0 in GNAC play, while WOU fell to 3-3 and 1-1. UAF will take next weekend off, returning to action when they play Sonoma State and Cal State Stanislaus at the Humboldt State Classic December 18th and 19th.
-UAF BASKETBALL-
