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Press Conference
FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Things got off to a slow start for the Alaska men's basketball team Thursday against University of Mary, but they would respond with a 24-7 run and never look back en route to winning their 2013 GCI Alaska Invitational opener 84-57 over the Marauders.
All five Nanooks (2-1) starters scored in double figures to hand Mary (2-1) its first loss of the season, led by junior guard
Joe Slocum's (San Francisco, Calif./Communications) 18 points. Slocum was 3 for 4 from beyond the 3-point line, as Alaska shot 47.8 percent (11 for 23) from downtown. Slocum also had six steals in the game to tie the Alaska Invitational single game record. It also tied him for 10th in steals for the whole tournament with two games still to play.
The Nanooks made five of their 11 3-pointers during their 24-7 run in the first half that erased a 5-0 deficit and put them up by 12. The 11 treys are the most Alaska has made since they put in 11 against Saint Martin's on Jan. 10, 2013. The 29-point margin of victory is the Nanooks' largest since beating Western Oregon by 33 (89-56) on Jan. 12, 2013. Thursday was also the second straight home opener victory for the Nanooks.
Senior forward
Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice) had 12 points and eight boards, senior guard
Ronnie Baker (Vallejo, Calif./Communications) scored 13 and dished six assists, and senior center
Sergej Pucar (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) and senior forward
Stefan Tica (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) both poured in 10 points.
Mary was led by Marc Musungayi's 16 points on 8 for 12 shooting. Damonta Henry chipped in 13. Mary shot 37.9 percent in the game. Alaska cooled off just slightly after shooting 50 percent in the first half, finishing the game at a 48.4 percent clip.
Mary would cut the Nanooks' first half lead to six after their big run turned the tables on the Marauders, but that's as close as they would get in the game. Alaska pushed its lead back to 12 before settling for a 10-point halftime lead at 36-26.
The Marauders would see a single-digit deficit once more in the second half, trailing by nine after a bucket from Chris Mason 2 1/2 minutes into the half. The Nanooks would pull away from there with a 13-0 run that gave them their biggest lead of the season at 22 points (56-34). Later, Alaska pushed its lead even higher to 25 points with a 12-4 run.
Alaska continues play in the 2013 GCI Alaska Invitational at 7 p.m. Friday against Emporia State (4-1), 72-70 losers against Fresno Pacific on Thursday. Mary faces Fresno Pacific at 5 p.m. Friday in the tournament session's first game.
