Box Score SEATTLE – Despite forcing a season-high 27 turnovers and getting a game-high 21 points from senior
Nicole Bozek (Mukilteo, Wash./Kamiak), Alaska was unable to pull off the road upset, falling 69-62 at Seattle Pacific on Saturday night at Brougham Pavilion.
The Falcons (15-6, 9-4 GNAC) led 64-59 with 59 seconds remaining after a transition layup by
Suzanna Ohlsen, but Bozek answered on the ensuing possession with an old-fashioned three-point play to get to within two at 64-62 with 48 to go. SPU was fouled and hit both free throws to double the lead with 35 seconds on the clock but the Nanooks (6-17, 2-11 GNAC) couldn't convert on their next shot and the home team hit three free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Nyesha Sims posted a double-double with 14 points and a career-best 23 rebounds to go with six assists and a pair of blocks.
Betsy Kingma also recorded double figures with a team-high 18 points. SPU shot 39-percent (25-64) for the game and dominated the boards by a 55-39 margin, including 19-17 on the offensive glass.
Aside from Bozek, freshman
Nicole Hartzog (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) struggled from the field but drained all eight free throw attempts to finish with 10 points. Junior
Taylor Altenburg (Elko, Nev./College of Southern Idaho) fell one point and one rebound shy of her first double-double with nine points and nine boards and senior
Autumn Greene (Lewiston, Idaho/Centralia CC) tied a career-high with six steals.
Alaska, like SPU, had a difficult time from the floor, shooting 28-percent (20-71). It hit 19 of 24 free throws (.792) and garnered 19 steals after it created 27 turnovers, one shy of the team's season high for opponent giveaways.
Trailing 18-15 with just over seven minutes to go in the first, the Nanooks went on a 9-2 run to grab a 24-20 advantage with just under five to go before halftime. The Falcons responded with 11 of the half's final 15 points to take a 31-28 lead into the locker room.
The game was tied at 33 apiece with 16 minutes to play, but SPU scored 10 in a row for a 43-33 lead with 12:26 to go. The 'Nooks came right back with the next eight points to cut the deficit to two at the halfway point.
Seven in a row by the Falcons gave them a 50-41 advantage with 8:40 left. The Nanooks didn't go away, tallying seven of nine to pull to within three. Teams traded points to set up the final stretch of the game.
The Nanooks return home next week to host Simon Fraser and Western Washington. Thursday's game against SFU will be the Play 4Kay game, which raises awareness of breast cancer. Saturday's game against WWU will be Senior Day and Alaska's three seniors will be honored prior to tipoff.
