Women's Basketball | 11/23/2016 3:42:00 PM
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball begins a three-week homestead this Thanksgiving Weekend, as they host the annual Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational at the Alaska Airlines Court. The Nanooks will kick-off the invitational against Newman University on Thursday, Nov. 24 and follow up with a Friday afternoon matchup against Stan State on Nov. 25 before concluding the weekend against Metro State of Denver on Saturday, Nov. 26. All three of Alaska's games will be played at 3pm AKST.
Last season, the Nanooks went 2-1 in the NSI, as they defeated Sonoma State 76-61 and Wisconsin-Parkside 88-77 before falling to Northwood University on the final day 78-90. Despite never capturing the tournament's championship title, the Nanooks have been runner-up twice (2013 and 2015).
Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 23:
5:30pm AKST – NSI Banquet at Westmark Hotel (Tickets
HERE)
Thursday, Nov. 24 (Happy Thanksgiving!):
1pm AKST – MSU Denver vs. Stan State
3pm AKST – Newman at Alaska
Friday, Nov. 25:
1pm AKST – MSU Denver vs. Newman
3pm AKST – Stan State at Alaska
Saturday, Nov. 26:
1pm AKST – Newman vs. Stan State
3pm AKST – MSU Denver at Alaska
Alaska Projected Starters
#12
Jaylee Mays – Sr., Guard, Hardesty, Okla. (.676 FG percentage, .640 3FG percentage, 17.8 PPG)
#21
Sanni Salonen – Jr., Forward, Littonen, Finland (4.5 PPG, 5.0 RBPG)
#23
Jordan Wilson – Sr., Forward, Thornton, Colo. (.615 FG%, 22.8 PPG, 6.8 RBPG)
#24
Autumn Childers – Sr., Guard, Dewey, Ariz. (9.5 PPG)
#32
Kaillee Skjold – Sr., Forward, Kasilof, Alaska (14.0 PPG, 3 double-doubles this season, 10.5 RBPG, 4.5 APG)
Last Time Out
The Nanooks return home from road to begin a three-week homestead after splitting last weekend at the Al Kaly Shrine Classic last Friday and Saturday. The Nanooks fell 91-87 in overtime to the host Colorado State University at Pueblo Thunderwolves on Friday before defeating the Western State Mountaineers 72-55 on Saturday. The trip marked the last time Alaska will hit the road before Christmas break, as they host the NSI Nov. 24-26, then open conference play against Western Washington and Simon Fraser Dec. 1 and 3 before taking on in-state rival Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 10.
Wilson Named GNAC Female Player of the Week
On Monday, Alaska Nanooks women's basketball senior forward
Jordan Wilson was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week for Nov. 21-27 after collecting a pair of 30-point performances last weekend at the Al Kaly Shrine Classic. Wilson collected 60 points over the course of the two nonconference games, shooting 62.1% from the field (23-of-34) and 14-of-16 from the free throw line, while also registering nine rebounds, five steals and two assists. Wilson was named the AKSC All-Tournament Team.
Mays Making it Rain
Senior guard
Jaylee Mays has been draining buckets over the past couple of games, most noticeably in the Al Kaly Shrine Classic in Pueblo last weekend. Mays is currently shooting .640% in three-point attempts, going 16-of-25. Last weekend alone, Mays went 11-of-19 from behind the arc to help her 44 point total against CSU-Pueblo and Western State. Mays, along with Wilson, was named to the Al Kaly Shrine Classic All-Tournament Team.
Scouting the Opponent – Metro State of Denver Roadrunners
The Roadrunners played in the Concordia Classic last weekend, earning their first two road wins of the season defeating Saint Martin's 59-38 and Concordia University 70-55. The Roadrunners are now 3-1 on the season, with their only loss coming as a 69-68 loss on Nov. 12 against Texas A&M Commerce.
As of Nov. 14, MSU Denver was led by Emil Hartegan and Georgia Ohrdorf, who both posted 67 points in four games (prior to the Concordia Classic) to average 16.8 points per game. In last Friday's win over SMU, it was Ohrdorf who paced the Roadrunners' offense, scoring 20 points, with Hartegan behind her with 18. In Saturday's 70-55 victory over Concordia, four Roadrunners scored double-digit figures while Jaelynn Smith recorded a double-double.
Scouting the Opponent – Newman University Jets
The Jets return eight players who saw action in at least 11 games last season, including five players that averaged double-digit figures. Injuries forced young players into critical roles, with Bria DeGrate, Iva Krstevaska, Parris Wilkinson and Melanie George now taking on key assignments as sophomores.
The trip to Alaska wraps up a busy opening stretch for the Newman Jets, as they packed eight games and three tournaments into its first 16 days of competition. The Jets currently sit at 3-2 overall already this season, as they fell to Colorado-Colorado Springs 74-64 and Regis 58-54 in the Heartland-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Challenge in early November, before defeating Central Christian College (87-18), Texas Woman's (69-58) and Midwestern State (67-52) to sweep their last three competitions.
Scouting the Opponent – Stanislaus State Warriors
The Warriors finished fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association last season and hosted a postseason game for the first time since 1991. They were picked to finish second in the CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll earlier this fall, as they return all four All-CCAA selections from last season in Cassidy Sanders-Curry, Reana Hardin, Ana Burch and Riley Holladay.
The Warriors currently sit with a 1-3 overall record, after falling to Central Washington (74-58) and Concordia (70-52) at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge earlier this month. Stan State picked up their first win of the season on Nov. 16 against the Academy of Art (67-61), before falling to Notre Dame de Namur (64-48) on Nov. 18. Reana Hardin currently leads the Stan State Warriors in scoring, averaging 12.0 points per game after totaling 48 points in four games played thus far.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball team page on Facebook.
