University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska women's basketball team ran out to a double-digit lead within the first four minutes Saturday and never looked back, routing Central Washington with its largest Great Northwest Athletic Conference win in over eight years with an 86-66 win at the Patty Center.

The margin of victory was the Nanooks' (9-10, 3-8 GNAC) largest in conference play since defeating Western Oregon 74-50 on Dec. 29, 2005, in Fairbanks. The win also snapped a five-game losing streak for Alaska and was its eighth win this season by double digits.

Alaska had five players in double figures, led by freshman forward Jordan Wilson's (Henderson, Colo./Business Administration) 16 points. Sophomore guard Brianna Kirk (Noatak, Alaska/Communication) had 14 points on 6 for 7 shooting off the bench, and freshman guard Victoria Milton (Lansing, Mich./Business Administration) chipped in 11. Freshman forward Kaillee Skjold (Kasilof, Alaska/Emergency Management) and junior guard Benissa Bulaya (Sacramento, Calif./Communication) had 10 points each.

Central Washington was led by Erika Locker's 13 points off the bench. Jessica VanDyke, the Wildcats' leading scorer entering the game, was held to nine points and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

The Nanooks ran out to a 14-2 lead 3 minutes, 12 seconds into the game thanks to six points from Wilson and 3-pointers from Milton and Skjold. Alaska reached the 20-point mark and a 14-point advantage just 5:51 into the game on a fastbreak layup by Bulaya, who also dished a game-high six assists – her seventh game this season with at least five helpers.

Alaska enjoyed success from downtown for the second straight game. The Nanooks started the game a perfect 5 for 5 from beyond the arc before finishing 8 for 16 in the game. Alaska made 22 total 3-pointers Thursday and Saturday and shot 47.8 percent from deep during the week. The team entered the week with a GNAC-low 25.5 3-point field goal percentage and 60 total treys on the year.

Daisy Burke and Courtney Johnson added 11 points each for Central Washington, which lost its fifth in a row and ninth in its last 10 games.

The Nanooks dominated down low, doubling up the Wildcats in the paint 48-24. Central Washington also tried running in the second half to close the gap, but Alaska played that game better as well, winning the fast-break battle 10-0, including 6-0 in the second half.

Alaska heads out on its longest conference road trip of the season next week, beginning a three-game stretch away from the Patty Center at 4:15 AKST Thursday against Western Oregon. The Nanooks travel to Lacey, Wash., to face Saint Martin's at 4:15 p.m. AKST Saturday.