FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska women's basketball team seeks warmer temperatures this weekend as it travels down to Hawaii to play in three non-conference games in Hilo.
The Nanooks (0-2) will partake in the 2011 Vulcan Classic with a game Friday against host Hawaii-Hilo at 8 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. meeting versus Hawaii Pacific the following day. They wrap up their tropical trip Sunday with another battle with Hawaii-Hilo (not a part of the tournament).
“It's a business trip,” head coach
Cody Burgess said. “We're going to try to get better and improve as a team against someone we haven't played in the last year. We're going to enjoy the trip in the sense that we get to see a different part of the world, but they understand for the most what we need to do.”
Alaska opened the 2011-12 season last weekend with a pair of home losses to Dixie State (L, 62-77) and Minot State (L, 59-72).
In Saturday's loss to the Beavers, freshman guard
Nicole Hartzog (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) tallied a career-high 28 points and shot five of eight from long range.
“We're looking for more than just one person to score and she stepped up,” Burgess said. “We knew she was capable of that but she stepped above and beyond our expectations, which is fantastic. We still need more than just her to do that in order to win games. We want to continue to push her to be as good as she is and be her teammates to be right along with her.”
She leads the Nanooks in scoring entering this week, with 17.0 points per game. Senior center
Nicole Bozek (Mukilteo, Wash./Kamiak) and senior forward
Autumn Greene (Lewiston, Idaho/Centralia CC) are also averaging double figures with an identical 11.5 points per game. Bozek also leads the squad with 8.0 rebounds a contest.
GAMES 1 & 3: Alaska at Hawaii-HiloHa
When: Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. & Sunday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.
Audio: ESPN Radio KHLO AM 850
Video: America One (Premium Subscriber)
Live Stats
About Hawaii-Hilo: Located in Hilo, Hawaii, the University of Hawaii at Hilo was founded in 1947 and has an enrollment of 4,051 students. The Vulcans were 9-15 overall last season and placed sixth in the PacWest with a 5-11 mark. They hold an 0-1 record on the young season.
Conference Affiliation: Member of the Pacific West Conference. Grand Canyon is the defending conference champion. Hawaii-Hilo was selected seventh in the PacWest preseason poll. Other members include: Dixie State, California Baptist, Hawaii Pacific, Academy of Art, BYU-Hawaii, Notre Dame de Namur, Dominican (CA) and Chaminade.
Coach: David Kaneshiro (Beloit '95) is in his second season after going 9-15 in his inaugural year at the helm and is the first full-time women's basketball head coach in program history. He had two previous stops prior to Hilo, spanning five seasons, where he tallied a record 62-66.
GAME 2: Alaska vs. Hawaii Pacific
When: Saturday, Nov. 19 at 4 p.m.
Video: America One (Premium Subscriber)
Live Stats
About Hawaii Pacific: Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University was founded in 1965 and has an enrollment of 8,200. The Sea Warriors were 18-7 last season and currently 2-1 thus far in 2011-12.
Conference Affiliation: Member of the Pacific West Conference. Grand Canyon is the defending conference champion. Hawaii Pacific was selected fourth in the PacWest preseason poll. Other members include: Dixie State, California Baptist, Academy of Art, BYU-Hawaii, Hawaii-Hilo, Notre Dame de Namur, Dominican (CA) and Chaminade.
Coach: Reid Takatsuka (Cal Baptist) is in his first season as head coach of HPU's women's program. He spent the last three years as the top assistant for the program.
