Box Score
ELLENSBURG, WA - Despite three Nanooks scoring 14 or more points, Alaska could not capture their first GNAC win, and fell to the Wildcats of Central Washington, 82-72.
Lakeshia Levi (Warner Robins, GA) recorded her sixth double-double of the season, but the Nanooks could not overcome a 20 point first half deficit at Nicholson Pavilion, in Ellensburg, Washington.
The Wildcats earned their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference win of the season (1-1) and improved to 4-8 overall. Alaska dropped its 12th straight contest to fall to 1-12 on the year, and 0-2 in GNAC action.
Central Washington raced out to a 12 point lead (18-4) in the first seven minutes of the first half and never looked back. The Wildcats were led by three double-digit scorers in the half, led by Sophie Russell with 13 points, as the Central Washington shot 47% from the field and knocked down five three-pointers.
The Wildcat lead grew by as many as 23 in the second half, and was 18 in the final minutes before senior guard
Ronisha Edwards (Compton, CA) scored the games final eight points. The Nanooks played one of their strongest halves of the season, turning the ball over only four times, out rebounding the Wildcats 22-18 and scoring nine more points (43-34) than the host.
Sara Bergner led five double-digit scorers for Central Washington with 25 points on 8 of 14 shooting, with Russell (15), Colleen Betteridge (15), Shaina Afoa (11) and Brooke Fernandez (10) also scoring in double-figures. Stacy Albrecht led the game with 11 rebounds, as the Wildcats out rebounded Alaska 43-39.
Alaska was led by Levi who scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. Levi's 23 points were just two shy of her season-high when she scored 25 against Nyack on December 4. Edwards scored a season-high 19 points on 6 of 13 shooting with
Caitlin Hamsley (North Pole, AK) chipping in 14 points. Edwards and Hamsley combined to hit seven of the Nanooks eight three-point field goal.
The Nanooks will return to action on Saturday, January 16 for the first of a three game home stand. Alaska will host Montana State-Billings next Saturday before hosting Western Oregon and Saint Martin's January 21 and 23 respectively. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. next Saturday.
