University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska men's basketball team wraps up its preseason tournament schedule this weekend in Southern California at the Ayres Inn & Suites CBU Classic, hosted by Cal Baptist. The Nanooks will face Azusa Pacific on Friday and take on the host Lancers on Saturday.
 
This weekend's trip to Riverside, Calif., marks the first time the Nanooks (4-1) will leave the state of Alaska. The team began the year at AT&T Jamboree in Anchorage on Nov. 15-16, then hosted the GCI Alaska Invitational last week.
 
The Nanooks have won four games in a row after a season-opening loss to Regis (Colo.). It is their longest winning streak since last season when they won six in a row from Dec. 1, 2012 to Jan. 12, 2013.
 
Alaska is coming off a tournament championship last week in its own GCI Alaska Invitational, winning three games in three days to defend its title from a year ago.
 
Senior guard Ronnie Baker (Vallejo, Calif./Communications) has been named to all-tournament teams in both of the Nanooks' tournament competitions this season. Last week he averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals across three games and was named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Red Lion Player of the Week for his efforts.
 
Senior forward Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice) made the GCI Alaska Invitational all-tournament team after averaging 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He has scored double-digit points in three straight games and has pulled down at least five boards in every game this season.
 
Alaska is outscoring opponents by 12.4 points per game. The Nanooks are outshooting opponents from the 3-point line, 37.4 percent to 29.9 percent, and from the free-throw line, 82.0 to 71.2 percent.
 
Game #6: Alaska vs. Azusa Pacific – Friday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. (AKST)
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The Cougars (1-2) have been slow out of the gate this season with just one win in three games, topping Cal State Dominguez Hills and falling to Cal Poly Pomona and Biola. Azusa Pacific is in its final year of transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and in its second season as a member of the Pacific West Conference.
 
Four players are averaging double-digit scoring for the Cougars, led by Troy Leaf's 19.7 points in three games. Tyler Monroe (15.3), Robert Sandoval (11.0) and Sharif Watson (10.0) are also in double figures. Opponents have shot 53.5 percent against the Cougars this season, including 35.2 percent from downtown. Sandoval leads the team with 21 assists and 12 steals, while Monroe is APU's top rebounder at 7.3 boards a game.
 
Game #7: Alaska at Cal Baptist – Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. (AKST)
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The Lancers (4-0) are undefeated so far in their first official season as a full member of the NCAA Division II. All of their wins have come against other NCAA Division II schools, including an 86-79 victory over Great Northwest Athletic Conference member Saint Martin's. Their other three wins all came by double digits.
 
Ryan Berg leads the way for the Lancers with 17.0 points per game. Kevin Crabb has been the team's top rebounder with 7.8 per game to go along with a 10.3 ppg scoring average. Cal Baptist has shot 55.2 percent from the floor through its first four games and outrebounded opponents 149-135.