Box Score MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon more than doubled up Alaska in the second half, limiting it to 17 points to rally for a 62-51 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball victory Thursday night at New P.E. Building.
The Wolves (6-13, 3-8 GNAC) swept the Nanooks (9-11, 3-9 GNAC) in the season series after overcoming a five-point halftime deficit by holding the visitors to 27 percent shooting over the final 20 minutes.
WOU was paced by
Dana Goularte, who scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the second half, while also collecting 12 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. She also accrued a game-best seven steals.
Chantel Divilbiss notched 16 points in the win and the Wolves outscored the Nanooks 30-7 due in part to Alaska's 28 giveaways.
Freshman forward
Jordan Wilson (Henderson, Colo./Business Administration) was the sole Alaska player in double figures with a team-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Seven other players all scored between four and six points to account for 29 of the team's total.
Alaska held a 41-38 lead on the glass and shot just shy of 40 percent (21-53) in the loss while Western Oregon converted on 36 percent (20-56) of its shots. The Wolves also knocked down 20 free throws on 31 attempts (64.5%) to Alaska's five on 10 tries (50%).
Alaska jumped out to an early 9-4 lead as Wilson scored every point for the Nanooks in the opening 3:18. WOU trailed 16-11 but used an 8-2 run, with four coming from Goularte, to grab a 19-18 advantage with 8:24 to go. Alaska responded right back with a 10-1 run of its own over 3:20, scoring 10 straight paint points to lead 28-20 with 4:57 left. The Wolves closed to within three but the 'Nooks would hold a 34-29 lead at the break.
The Wolves surged out of the locker room with a 14-0 run that stretched 6:01 to give WOU a 43-34 advantage, the largest of the night to that point. During that span, Alaska missed just four shots but never had many chances to score due in part to seven turnovers. The Nanooks went empty on their first 15 possessions of the second before ending the draught with 11:43 to go to cut it to 43-36.
Alaska cut the margin back to four at 45-41 with 8:01 to go but five quick points gave the Wolves a 50-41 lead with 7:18 remaining. Leading 56-48, WOU used four free throws to gain a 60-48 lead, the largest of the game, with only 2:33 to go and Alaska never drew closer than nine down the stretch.
The Nanooks continue the three-game road trip Saturday with a meeting against Saint Martin's in Lacey, Wash. Alaska will look to earn a season sweep against the Saints, who downed Alaska Anchorage 56-46 earlier Thursday. Back in Fairbanks on Jan. 9, Alaska won 78-64 in the teams' first meeting.
