Box Score Bellingham, Wash. – Alaska's losing streak slipped to seven games, as the Nanooks fell to the Vikings of Western Washington, 80-57 on Saturday night.
Ashton Edwards and Almir Hadzisehovic were the top offensive performers for the Nanooks, who fell to 5-14 overall and 2-9 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, with 13 points. Eric Fongue went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc to score 11 points.
Western Washington (11-10, 4-7 GNAC) was led by Jeffrey Parker, who scored 26 points thanks to five 3-point field goals and a perfect night at the free-throw line (5-5). As a team, the Vikings only shot eight free throws, but made them all.
Alaska started the game quickly, and took a seven point lead just four minutes into the game. From that point on, however, the game was all Vikings, as they would take a lead that they would not relinquish at the 11:45 mark of the first frame.
The Nanooks hung tight in the first half, and trailed 34-27 at the end of 20 minutes. Edwards and Hadzisehovic each had eight points in the first half to lead the Nanooks.
Western Washington dominated Alaska in the second half, outscoring the Nanooks 46-30 over the final 20 minutes. Alaska's top scorers in the final period were Isaac Ladines and Fongue with seven and six points, respectively.
Though the game was free of excessive whistles, there were only 20 fouls total in the game (eight for the Nanooks), Alaska played sloppy at times, as the Nanooks turned the ball over 22 times leading to 24 points for the Vikings. Conversely, Alaska forced just 11 turnovers to lead to five points.
Alaska's three-game road trip concludes next Saturday, February 7 with a game at the Alaska Airlines Center, as the Nanooks take on the Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage at 7:30 p.m.
