Box Score Post-Game Interviews
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Alaska controlled just about every aspect of the court and a balanced attack allowed for a 77-54 win against Oklahoma Panhandle State in game four of the 2012 GCI Alaska Invitational on Friday evening at the Patty Center.
The Nanooks (3-1) were paced by senior guard
Dominique Brinson (Juneau, Alaska/Accounting) with a team-best 14 points as he also produced three assists. Junior guard
Pat Voeut (Bellingham, Wash./Communications) contributed 13 points and tallied four assists and three steals while junior center
Sergej Pucar (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) had 12 points and five boards.
Senior forward
Zach Ngawaka (Keysborough, Australia/History) and junior forward
Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice Studies, Law & Society) had 10 points each and combined for 15 rebounds.
Alaska shot 48-percent for the game while limiting OPSU to 39-percent shooting. The Nanooks dominated the boards by a 47-29 margin, including an impressive 17-7 advantage on the offensive glass, and had 23 assists to Panhandle's eight.
The game was back and forth early but with it tied at 19-19, Alaska went on an 11-2 run in less than six minutes to go up 30-21 with 2:37 to go in the half. After a buzzer-beating jumper by
Stefan Tica, the Nanooks took a 33-26 lead into halftime.
The Nanooks led 34-30 early in the second but they opened up the game with 21-5 surge that spanned 6:46 to give them a comfortable 55-35 advantage. OPSU got to within 15 at 57-42 just before the midway point of the second, but Alaska sealed it with 18 of the game's next 20 to go up 75-44 with 5:39 to go.
The Aggies (1-2) were led by Bill Lee, who had a game-high 15 points, while Damar Hill and Brandon Caruthers tallied 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Alaska returns to action Saturday at 5:15 p.m. when it takes on Colorado Christian (2-2) in the final game of the Alaska Invitational. OPSU battles Cal State Monterey Bay (2-1), which rolled to a 78-58 win over CCU in the first game, at 3 p.m.
