Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK - The Alaska Nanooks came one second away from snapping their 18-game losing streak, but a Montana State Billings lay in as the buzzer rang dashed Alaska's hopes in a heart breaking 61-60 loss at Alterowitz Gymnasium in Billings, MT. Three Nanooks tallied double-figure points but it was not enough to lift them to victory.
Both teams played a back and forth first half which saw the host go into the break with a 32-29 lead.
Ronisha Edwards (Compton, CA) led Alaska with 12 points and five rebounds at the half as
Alexandra Melonson (Seattle, WA) chipped in five points and three assists.
Montana State Billings scored 14 points off nine Nanook turnovers with Callie Kautzmann scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds to pace the Yellowjackets.
Alaska opened up the half on a 15-2 run to take an eight point lead only eight minutes into the second half.
The Nanooks held a lead the rest of the second half and set up for a dynamic finish that left Alaska on the short end of the stick.
The Nanooks'
Jessica Harrison (Las Vegas, NV) hit a pair of free throws to put Alaska up by six, 59-53, just under a minute to play. On the next trip down the floor, Yellowjacket sophomore, Kalli Stanhope, hit a three pointer from the right wing to cut the lead to three, 59-56.
After the Yellowjackets used a 30-second timeout they were forced to foul Melonson, who scored 13 points and five boards with four steal in the game. Melonson hit her first but was unable to convert the second.
After Ryan grabbed her tenth rebound of the game, the Yellowjackets swung the ball around to Mandy Jacobs who connected on her lone triple of the night to get the defecit back to one, 60-59, with just 35 seconds to go.
Coming out of another 'Jacket timeout, the Nanooks had the opportunity to bring the game clock down to just one second, but with 13 seconds remaining, Edwards drove the baseline and put up a shot that found the iron and was rebounded by the Yellowjackets' Rachel Hansen.
As the ball went out of bounds when Harrison swatted a Stanhope lay-up attempt, Kautzmann tried to go up and under but overshot the basket into the waiting arms of Ryan. Ryan then went straight up with the shot with 1.1 second left and the ball bounced around the rim before dropping in for bucket.
Edwards scored a team-high 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Nanooks.
Lakeshia Levi (Warner Robins, GA) joined Edwards with her 10
th double-double of the season (12 points, 10 rebounds) before fouling out late in the second half.
The Yellowjackets were led by four double-digit scorers led by Kautzmann with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Ryan also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds with Stanhope (13) and McNamee (10) also picking up double-figure points. Montana State Billings only shot 28% (20-of-71) from the field, but pulled down 10 more rebounds than Alaska (53-43).
Alaska will return to action on Thursday when Central Washington visits the Patty Center. Tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. AKT.
