University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska women's basketball team returns home this week for the first time in 2014 to continue their tough early Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule. Thursday the Nanooks host GNAC leader Saint Martin's, then welcome Western Oregon to the Patty Center on Saturday.
 
Alaska (7-5, 1-3 GNAC) picked up its first conference win on the road Thursday at Central Washington to snap a three-game losing streak, but it has not had an easy schedule by any means to start the GNAC season. The Nanooks have suffered losses to then-No. 6 and undefeated Seattle Pacific, preseason conference favorite Montana State Billings and then-No. 17 Northwest Nazarene on the road.
 
Alaska has lost four of its last five games after what was their best start in six years at 6-1. Now the Nanooks begin a three-game home stand that starts with first-place Saint Martin's at 7 p.m. Thursday, continues with a 7 p.m. game versus Western Oregon Saturday, and ends with second-place Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 18.
 
Five of Alaska's next seven games are at home, but they include another matchup against Northwest Nazarene, and road games at Simon Fraser and Western Washington – all of whom have been nationally ranked or received votes in the national poll at some point this season.
 
Alaska has continued to frustrate opponents on the defensive end. It is among the GNAC's top half in field goal and 3-point shooting percentage defense, and is the 2nd-ranked team in steals with 11.6 per game. The Nanooks have also been one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, pulling down the fourth-most boards per game at 41.8.
 
Freshman forward Jordan Wilson (Henderson, Colo./Business Adminstration) has been one of the conference's top freshmen this season. She leads all GNAC rookies in scoring (t-6th overall, 16.2 ppg), rebounding (7th, 7.6 rpg), offensive rebounds (4th, 3.7 rpg), defensive rebounds (t-13th, 3.9) and field goal percentage (3rd, 53.2 percent). She is second among GNAC freshmen in free-throw  percentage (13th overall, 76.3 percent).
 
Fellow freshman guard Victoria Milton (Lansing, Mich./Business Administration) is second among GNAC freshman in steals, tying for seventh overall with 2.0 takeaways per game. Junior guard Kelly Logue (Fair Oaks, Calif./Journalism) leads the Nanooks with 2.2 spg.
 
Junior guard Benissa Bulaya (Sacramento, Calif./Communication) is the team's second-leading scorer at 8.6 ppg and has a team-leading 3.6 assists per game this season.  Freshman forward Kaillee Skjold (Kasilof, Alaska/Emergency Management) is the Nanooks' second-best rebounder at 4.7 rpg and has averaged a fifth-best 6.0 ppg.
 
Game #13: Saint Martin's at Alaska – Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. (AKST)
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The Saints (9-3, 3-0 GNAC) are the only undefeated team in GNAC play, sitting in first place at 3-0. They have won six games in a row dating back to Dec. 5, a streak that includes an upset of previously unbeaten and then-No. 18-ranked Northwest Nazarene 61-56 at home. Saint Martin's is 8-1 against NCAA Division II competition this season.
 
Saint Martin's has held opponents to a GNAC-best 54.2 points per game. It is the only GNAC team holding opponents under 60 points this season. The Saints also lead the conference in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 32.2 percent shooting, and are second in turnover margin at +4.33. Chelsea Haskey leads the way for the Saints in scoring (9th in GNAC, 15.2 ppg), rebounding (8th, 7.4 rpg), blocked shots (12th, 1.3 bpg) and has been their best shooter at 40.5 percent. Angela Gelhar is the only other Saint Martin's player averaging double-digit scoring, posting 10.2 ppg.
 
Game #14: Western Oregon at Alaska – Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. (AKST)
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The Wolves (4-7, 1-2 GNAC) have lost three of their last four games, with the lone win coming against NAIA member Simpson University. Western Oregon is 1-6 against NCAA Division II competition this season, with its lone win coming in overtime at home against GNAC opponent Central Washington.
 
Western Oregon has the GNAC's lowest-scoring offense at 63.5 ppg, and the conference's worst scoring margin at -3.3 ppg. The Wolves are ranked in the lower half of the conference in 18 different statistical categories, including being last in free throw percentage (63.9 percent), assists (10.0 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (+0.5). Despite the Wolves' low team scoring average, junior Dana Goularte is the GNAC's third-best scorer with 18.2 ppg. She is also the conference's second-best rebounder at 9.7 rpg and ranks seventh in field goal percentage (50.8 percent).