ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team concludes its season-long five game road trip this weekend, as the Nooks will participate in the Seawolf Hoops Classic at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. Alaska opens the Classic with UC San Diego on Saturday at 5 p.m., followed by a 3:30 p.m. contest with Cedarville University (Ohio) on Sunday.
The Nanooks look to put an end to their four-game skid on Saturday, as they enter the weekend with a 5-6 mark overall this season. As for Tritons of San Diego, they come to Anchorage with a 7-1 mark, and are ranked No. 20 in the D2SIDA Top 25 Poll. The Yellow Jackets also bring a winning mark to the Last Frontier, as CU is 6-3 through nine games this season.
| Date & Time | Dec. 19, 2015, 5 p.m. | Dec. 20, 2015, 3:30 p.m. |
| Opponent | Saturday: UC Sa Diego | Sunday: Cedarville |
| Location | Alaska Airlines Center | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Live Stream and Stats | Click Here |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
Where to Watch
Both games the Nanooks will play this weekend will be shown statewide on GCI Channel 1 and Channel 999. For fans outside of Alaska, they can catch all the action on our live stream at www.portal.stretchinternet.com/uaf free of charge.
Last Time Out
Juniors Jaylee Mays and Jordan Wilson each recorded double-digit points and helped lead a second-half offensive charge for the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon, but that would not be enough to overcome a slow first half performance against No. 6 Alaska Anchorage, as they fall, 78-56, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.
Mays scored 16 of her team-best 21 points in the second half, as she connected on five 3-point field goals, four of which came after halftime. The 21-point outing marks Mays' fourth 20-plus-point performance of the season, while the five three-pointers tie a career-high for the sharpshooter.
Wilson also played a huge factor in the second-half outburst, as she scored all 13 of her points in the third and fourth quarters. The 13-point outing extends Wilson's double-digit scoring streak to nine games. The forward also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
All-Time Series Record
UC San Diego: Saturday's game against UC San Diego will mark the fifth meeting between the two schools. Entering the weekend, the Tritons are a perfect 4-0 against the Nooks. The last meeting between UCSD and Alaska came in 2009, when UC San Diego picked up an 87-41 victory.
Cedarville: Sunday will be the first meeting between Alaska and the Yellow Jackets.
Double-Digit Scoring Streak
Jordan Wilson enters play on Saturday looking to extend her double-digit scoring streak to 10 games. The Henderson, Colorado native has netted double-digits in all but one game for Alaska this season, as she leads the team in scoring with her 16.0 points per game average. Her 16.0 points per game ranks her fourth in scoring this season in the GNAC.
Triple Threat
Junior guard Jaylee Mays has been deadly from behind the arc this season, as she has hit a team-best 27 trifectas through 11 games this season. Mays currently ranks fourth in the GNAC in 3-point field goals made per game, as she is putting in 2.5 three-point baskets per game.
Mays isn't only a three-point specialist, but she has also been a stud on the defensive end. She currently ranks third in the conference in steals, with 2.4 swipes per game. She has collected a total of 26 steals through 11 games.
Better Handle With Care
Teams have found out the hard way this season that if you do not take care of the ball, the Nanooks will it from you. Alaska is second in the GNAC in steals per game, as they are swiping the ball 11.7 times per game. That number has led to the Nanooks to have three players inside the top five of the individual steal leaders in the GNAC. Jaylee Mays is third in the conference with her 2.4 steals per game average, while Kaillee Skjold and Jordan Wilson are each tied for fourth with a 2.3 average.
Scouting the Opposition – UC San Diego
The Tritons come to Anchorage as one of the hottest teams in the nation, as they have won each of their last six games. UC San Diego, who plays in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, boast a 7-1 record overall and are ranked No. 20 in the D2SIDA Poll.
UCSD leads the CCAA in points per game, as they are averaging 75.0 points. They are shooting 44.8 percent from the floor, a mark that is the 25th-highest success rate in the country. Farrah Shokoor leads the team in scoring with her 15.4 points per contest. She is one of three double-digit scorers for the Tritons, as Jamie Katuna and Cassie MacLeod averaging 15.1 and 11.8 points, respectively.
Scouting the Opposition – Cedarville University
Like UC San Diego, Cedarville comes to Anchorage on an extended winning streak, as they have won each of their last five contest. On the year, CU, who plays in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, is 6-3.
As a team, the Yellow Jackets are averaging 72.7 points per contest. They are shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and have a trio of double-digits scorers in Kayla Linkous (11.9), Kaysie Brittenham (10.9) and Abby Wolford (10.0).
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Twitter.
