Box Score Burgess Post-Game Video
Greene Post-Game Video
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Senior forward
Autumn Greene (Lewiston, Idaho/Centralia CC) put together a strong performance with a game-high 20 points and career-high 15 rebounds to help Alaska end its three-game skid with a 68-62 women's basketball victory over Academy of Art in the AT&T Hoops Classic on Friday at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Due to her efforts, Greene was awarded the tournament's Player of the Game honor after posting her first double-double of the season.
The Nanooks (4-6) had two others score in double figures as senior center
Nicole Bozek (Mukilteo, Wash./Kamiak) fell one rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds and freshman guard
Nicole Hartzog (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) had 13 points and three steals.
Despite shooting just under 30-percent (17-58) from the floor, Alaska got to the free throw line 44 times, converting on 32 of its attempts (72.7%). They also held the rebounding advantage by a 54-48 margin, including a 19-18 edge on the offensive glass.
The Urban Knights (3-3) shot just shy of 31-percent (23-75) for the game and struggled from the line, shooting just over 61-percent (11-18). They were led by Alisa Griggs, who had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Jordan Rogers also scored 16 points off the bench, while Devin London contributed 11 points and six boards.
The Nanooks jumped out to an early 11-3 lead as Bozek led the charge with six points. The Urban Knights cut it back to four with two straight buckets, but Hartzog answered with a trey from the corner to give UAF a 14-7 advantage with 14:53 to go. Leading 17-13, the Nanooks scored six in a row for their largest lead of the frame at 23-13 with 8:42 remaining. Art U closed to within five at 29-24 late in the half, but Alaska took a 32-24 lead into the locker room. Greene already had her double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
The Nanooks extended their lead to 12 at 38-26 early in the second half, but the Urban Knights continued to fight and eventually cut into the lead. Trailing 40-28, Art U scored five in a row to trim the lead to seven with 15:43 to go. Later in the half, it fought back to within two points after going on a 9-2 run to cut Alaska's lead to just 48-46 just past the halfway point of the second.
The game remained close, but Alaska held the Urban Knights scoreless for 4:11 and extended the lead from a pair up to seven at 63-56 with 1:43 to play. Art U responded with the next four points to close to within 63-60 with 43 ticks remaining. Free throws down the stretch put the game out of reach for the Urban Knights and gave the Nanooks their fourth win of the season.
Alaska returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m., when it faces Hawaii-Hilo for the third time this season. The 'Nooks won both games in Hilo three weeks ago, by scores of 67-42 and 64-55.
