University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

MONMOUTH, Ore. -- The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team continues its three-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference road trip this weekend, as they travel to Western Oregon and Concordia. The Nook open the week with a Thursday night contest against the WOU at 6 p.m., while they take on the Cavaliers at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Nanooks are still in search of their first GNAC road win this season. They also open this week in seven place in the conference, as they stand at 4-8. Overall on the year, Alaska is 9-13. Western Oregon and Concordia are both tied for last in the GNAC standings at 2-10. The Wolves sport a 3-17 record, while the Cavs are 4-16.

Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball hung tough for three quarters, but a 17-0 run by Montana State Billings to open the fourth quarter lifted the Yellowjackets past the Nanooks, 72-46, at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

Alaska was within six points at the 6:03 mark of the third quarter, after a pair of Jordan Wilson free throws made it 42-36. The Nanooks trailed by 10, 49-39, at the end of the third, but Montana State Billings opened the final frame on a 17-0 run to go up a game-high 27 points. The run put the game out of reach for the Nooks, as MSUB captured the 26-point victory.

All-Time Series

Concordia: Alaska leads the brief all-time series, 2-1. The Nooks defeated Concordia, 75-66, back on Jan. 7 in the first meeting between the two teams as GNAC opponents.

Western Oregon: The Nooks have won three-straight in the series, but still trail the Wolves, 19-8, in the all-time series. Alaska defeated Western Oregon, 75-55, on Jan. 9 of this season.

How Sweep It Would Be
If Alaska can get a win this weekend, then it would mark the first season sweep of a GNAC opponent this season. The Nooks defeated Concordia, 75-66, on Jan. 7, before knocking off WOU, 75-55, two days later. Both games were played at the Alaska Airlines Court.

The last sweep of a GNAC team came last season, when the Nanooks defeated Western Oregon in both of their meetings.

Moving Up The All-Time Scoring List
Junior Jordan Wilson is beginning to etch her name next to the all-time greats in Alaska women's basketball history. Coming into this week, Wilson has scored 1,092 points, which ranks 17th on the school's all-time scoring list. Wilson needs just eight points to surpass her coach, Cody Bench, on the scoring list.

Wilson became the 17th player in program history to score over 1,000 points earlier this season. She reached the milestone on Jan. 14 at Northwest Nazarene.

Scoring Streak Extended
Jordan Wilson pushed her double-digit score streak to 20 games with a 20-point effort at Montana State Billings last Thursday. Wilson streak is the longest active streak in the GNAC. During the streak, she has averaged 17.9 points per game and has recorded 20-or-more points eighth times.

Wilson currently leads the GNAC in scoring with her 17.5 points per game average.

Deep Threat
Junior Jaylee Mays has found a ton of success this season from behind the arc. The sharpshooter is currently fifth in the GNAC in 3-point field goals made with her 2.0 average. Through 22 games, Mays has made a team-best 45 three-pointers.

Queen of Thieves
The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team has found a knack for stealing the ball from its opposition this year. The Nooks are currently second in the conference in steals per game, as they are taking the ball from their opponent 9.6 times per game.

Alaska is one of two teams to have three players featured in the top 11 of the steals per game list. Jaylee Mays leads the team with her 2.1 swipes per game, which is the sixth-highest mark in the GNAC, while Jordan Wilson is seventh (1.9) and Kaillee Skjold is 10th (1.6).  

Scouting the Opposition – Western Oregon
The Wolves come into this week looking to snap a five-game losing streak. WOU currently stands in a last place tie with Concordia, with both teams holding a 2-10 mark in GNAC play after 12 games. Overall on the year, Western Oregon is 3-17.

WOU is the lowest scoring team in the GNAC, as they are scoring just 52.5 points per game. They have connected on 35.1 percent of their field goal attempts. Jordan Mottershaw leads the team in scoring with her 8.0 points per game average.

Western Oregon ranks eighth in the GNAC in points allowed, as they are giving up 66.3 points per game. Teams are shooting 43.4 percent from the field, which is the highest opponent field goal percentage in the conference.

Scouting the Opposition – Concordia
Like Western Oregon, Concordia is 2-10 in league play, as the two are tied for last place in the GNAC standings. The Cavaliers are 4-16 overall in their first season as an NCAA Division II team, and are looking to snap a three-game losing streak coming into this week.

Sierra Dean leads the team in scoring with her 12.7 points per game average. As a team, CU is averaging 57.4 points per game, which is second-lowest in the conference. They are also connecting on 34.7 percent of their field goals attempts.

Defensively, Concordia is giving up 65.3 points per game, a mark that is the seventh-highest in the conference. Teams are shooting 41.3 percent against the Cavaliers.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Twitter or like Alaska Nanooks women's hoop on Facebook.