BURNABY, B.C. -- The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team opens a four-game road trip that opens Canada, as the Nanooks take on Simon Fraser on Thursday before traveling back to the United States on Saturday for a contest at Western Washington. Tip-off for both games is set for 6 p.m. AKT.
Alaska opens the important road trip in a fourth-place tie with Western Washington. The Nooks are currently 8-4 in the GNAC and 14-6 overall. For Simon Fraser, the Clan is still in search of their first GNAC win of the season, as they are 0-12. SFU is also 1-17 on the year. For WWU, the Vikings are 14-7 overall this season.
| Dates & Time | Feb. 4 & 6, 2016 | 6 p.m. AKT |
| Opponent | Thursday: at Simon Fraser
Saturday: at Western Washington |
| Location | Thursday: West Gym | Burnaby, B.C.
Saturday: Whatcom CC | Bellingham, Wash. |
| Live Stream and Stats | Click Here |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday, as they defeated Saint Martin's, 85-77, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Alaska Airlines Court.
Alaska was led by the senior combination of Almir Hadzisehovic and Travante Williams. The duo scored a combined 44 points, as each player posted 22 points in the win.
All-Time Series
Simon Fraser: The Nooks lead the all-time series against the Clan, 29-21. Alaska has yet to win at SFU under head coach Mick Durham. The Nanooks defeated Simon Fraser, 73-56, back on Jan. 9.
Western Washington: The Vikings hold a 31-11 edge in the all-time series. WWU stunned the Nanooks back on Jan. 7, with a 100-99 overtime victory. Alaska's last win in Bellingham came on Jan. 27, 2007, when they won 73-64.
Regionally Ranked
Alaska maintained its No. 10 ranking in the D2SIDA West Regional Poll this week. This marks the eighth time this season the Nooks have been featured inside the Top 10 of the D2SIDA West Regional Poll.
High Octane Offense
Things have been heating up at the Alaska Airlines Court during a mild winter in Fairbanks. The Nooks offense has been firing on all cylinders this season, as they are averaging 84.8 points per game. That per game average is the third-highest in the GNAC.
Alaska has all five starters averaging double digits in points, led by senior Travante Williams, who is third in the conference in scoring with his 17.9 points per game average.
Feeding the Big Man
Senior Almir Hadzisehovic has been on quite the roll of late. The big 6-8 center has scored double-digits in eight of his last nine games. The Serbian has averaged 14.6 points per game during the streak, a slight uptick over his 12.5 points per game average this season.
In his last game, Hadzisehovic scored a season-best 22 points, while shooting 9-of-11 from the field.
Elite Company
Senior Travante Williams is the one of two players in the GNAC to rank inside the top five of the conference's scoring and rebounding leaders. Through 18 games, the swing player is averaging 17.9 points (3rd) and 7.4 rebounds (3rd).
Scouting the Opposition – Simon Fraser
The Clan comes into Thursday's contest on a 16-game losing streak. SFU has not won a game since Nov. 17, 2015, and is still in search of its first GNAC win this season, as they are 0-12. Overall, Simon Fraser is 1-17 this season.
SFU has the lowest points per game average this season in the conference, as they are scoring just 70.6 points per game on a league-low 40.4 percent field goal percentage. Michael Harper leads the team in scoring with his 14.1 points per game average, but the addition of Max Barkeley has proven beneficial, as he is averaging 16.8 points per game.
Defensively, Simon Fraser is allowing teams to score 85.3 points per game, which is the second-highest points allowed average in the GNAC. Teams are also hitting a league-best 47.5 percent from the field against the Clan.
Scouting the Opposition – Western Washington
The Vikings and Nanooks are deadlocked in a tie for fourth place in the GNAC standings to open the week, as both teams sport an 8-4 record in league games. WWU is 14-7 overall and has won four-straight games coming into this week.
Offensively, WWU is led by Jeffery Parker, who is fourth in the league in scoring with his 17.7 points per game average, which ranks fourth in the conference. Ricardo Maxwell is fifth in the league in scoring with his 16.6 points per game, making the duo the highest-scoring teammates in the GNAC. As a team, the Vikings are leading the league in points per game at 86.8. Western Washington is second in the conference in field goal percentage with a 47.9 percent clip.
Defensively, the Vikings are giving up 75.9 points per game, while teams are shooting 46.1 percent against them.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter.
