Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK – The Alaska Nanooks took a 25-22 lead going into the half but could not hold on and fell to Nyack 59-49 Friday night at the Patty Center.
Lakeshia Levi (Warner Robins, GA) scored 25 points, over half the team's total output, but it was not enough in the non-conference affair.
The Nanooks asserted their defensive presence in the opening half by holding the Warriors scoreless for the first 3:28. The Nanooks used the Nyack scoring drought to build an early four-point lead, with all six points coming from Levi.
Nyack battled back and took their first lead of the game at the 10:52 mark when Jasmine Minter knocked down two free throws to make the score 12-10.
With the score knotted at 17 the Nanooks went on a 5-0 run, that spanned 4:07, to retake the lead with a Levi basket. After the Levi basket the Nanooks went scoreless for the next five minutes before
Alexandra Melonson (Seattle, WA) hit a runner in the lane as the half expired to give the Nanooks a three-point lead.
Both teams were sloppy from the onset, and each turned the ball over 13 times, while combining for only five assists. The Warriors shot only 25% (9 of 36) from the field for the half and 14% (2 of 14) from behind the arc.
Levi led all scorers with 12 points and also pulled down five rebounds at the half. Shelly Yount led Nyack with eight points on 4 of 5 shooting with five rebounds, four offensive.
Nyack came out of the gate strong in the second half and scored 14 of the first 20 points to gain a 36-31 advantage. The Warrior run was fueled by nine points from North Pole native Kelsey McIntosh on three, three-point baskets.
Alaska used a 5-0 run to pull the deficit to only one, 40-39, but Nyack was too strong down the stretch as they went on a 12-2 run to take a commanding 53-41 lead late in the half.
The Nanooks were only able to close the gap to nine on two separate occasions but could not complete the comeback.
Alaska only shot 24% (8 of 33) in the second half, and 27% (18 of 66) for the game, while only making one of their 15 three-point tries. The Nanooks also turned the ball over 20 turnovers that led to 16 Nyack points.
Nyack finished the second half shooting 43% (13 of 30) to finish the game at 33% (22 of 66). The Warriors also turned the ball over 22 times, but held the rebounding advantage, 49-46, over the Nanooks.
Levi led Alaska with 25 points and 12 rebounds and went 7 of 9 from the charity stripe.
Jessica Harrison (Las Vegas, NV) was the only other Nanook with double-digit points with 10, while
Ronisha Edwards (Compton, CA) pulled down 10 rebounds.
Shelly Yount paced Nyack with 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds, six of them offensive. Kelsey McIntosh chipped in 12 points in the win for Nyack.
The Nanooks will return to action on December 10 when they travel to Anchorage to take on BYU-Hawaii. Game time is set for 7:00 PM Alaskan time.
