University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska men's basketball team will look to continue its recent success on the road this week at one of the toughest places to play in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, as it kicks off the second half of the GNAC schedule in a three-way tie for first place.
 
The Nanooks head to Bellingham, Wash., on Thursday for a first-place showdown with Western Washington, then cross the border Saturday to face Simon Fraser in Burnaby, British Columbia.
 
Alaska (12-5, 7-2 GNAC) has been one of the hottest teams in the GNAC as of late, winning five in a row and eight of its last nine games, including three straight on the road. It is the first time the Nanooks have won three consecutive games away from the Patty Center since the 2004-05 season.
 
It will take another big win on Thursday for the Nanooks to extend their road winning streak. Alaska has not won at WWU's Carver Gymnasium since Jan. 27, 2007. The Vikings (13-4, 7-2 GNAC) have won six straight at home over the Nanooks since then.
 
The Nanooks also haven't won at Simon Fraser's West Gym since 2010-11, the Clan's first year in the GNAC.  Alaska has lost two in a row to the Clan in Burnaby, British Columbia, losing both contests by an average of 11.0 points per game.
 
Alaska has already beaten Western Washington once this season, beating them at home in the Patty Center for the second year in a row with a 65-61 decision on Jan. 4, when the Vikings were ranked No. 15 in the nation. Alaska also topped Simon Fraser two days before, beating the Clan 67-58 on Jan. 2.
 
The Nanooks only allowed 51.5 ppg in two road wins last week at Saint Martin's and Western Oregon, lowering their scoring defense to a GNAC-best 66.1 ppg. The 47 points they allowed at Saint Martin's were the least amount of points they have given up since Dec. 2, 2006, and accounted for the lowest point total they have surrendered on the road in the 13-year history of the GNAC.
 
Senior forward Andrew Kelly (Gilbert, Ariz./Justice) contributed to Alaska's defensive efforts last week with eight steals and two blocks. He also averaged a double-double in the two games with 12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds while dishing 3.0 assists per game. Kelly enters the week second in rebounding with 8.5 boards per game behind WWU's Austin Bragg.
 
Senior forward Stefan Tica (Belgrade, Serbia/Business Administration) scored a game-high 18 points Thursday at Saint Martin's, hitting four 3-pointers. Tica has made at least two treys in five straight games and has a team-best 34 on the season.
 
Alaska continues to be one of the best ball-handling teams in the conference and the nation. The Nanooks' GNAC-best +4.5 turnover margin ranks No. 14 in the country, and their 10.7 turnovers per game are 24th-lowest in the NCAA. Alaska is also ranked second in the GNAC with 7.8 steals per game, thanks in large part to a season-high 15 steals at Western Oregon Saturday.
 
Game #18: Alaska at Western Washington – Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. (AKST)
Important Links:  LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO   LIVE AUDIO
The Vikings (13-4, 7-2 GNAC) have won three in a row and four of their last five games since losing to Alaska on Jan. 4. Their lone loss during that stretch came from Seattle Pacific, who ended WWU's 36-game home winning streak with a 76-60 win at Carver Gymnasium. Western Washington is unranked this week, but receiving 12 votes in the NABC NCAA Division II national poll.
 
WWU is the national leader in blocked shots per game at 6.3 and is fifth in total blocks with 107. The Vikings are seventh in 3-point field-goal percentage defense at 28.1 and 12th in scoring offense at 88.3. Bragg ranks among the top six in the GNAC in five categories. He leads in rebounds at 8.9 per game, is second in blocks at 2.1, third in offensive rebounds at 3.2, fifth in field-goal percentage at 58.9 and sixth in scoring at 17.3.
 
Game #19: Alaska at Simon Fraser – Saturday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. (AKST)
Important Links:   LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO
The Clan (8-9, 1-8 GNAC) snapped a five-game losing streak Thursday by hanging 98 points on the road at Northwest Nazarene in a 98-73 win, its first GNAC win of the season. Even with the win over NNU, Simon Fraser has lost eight of its last 10 after starting the year 6-1.
 
Opponents are shooting 49.5 percent this season against the Clan, though the Nanooks only shot 33.3 percent against them on Jan. 2. Simon Fraser has four players averaging in double-digit scoring this season, led by Justin Cole's 13.5 ppg. Cole is tied for third in the GNAC with 1.8 steals per game. Ibrahim Appiah is the team's top rebounder with 7.3 rpg. Sango Niang is the Clan's second-leading scorer with 13.3 ppg and is fifth in the GNAC with 5.0 assists per game.