BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team resumed Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a tough 83-49 loss to the Western Washington Vikings at the Carver Gymnasium in Bellingham. The loss drops the Nanooks' overall record to 4-6 and 0-4 in conference play, while the Vikings improve to 6-5 on the season and 2-1 in league contests.
Western Washington's defense held the Nanooks to shooting only 30.9 percent from the floor, as Alaska shot 17-for-55 from the field. The Nooks fared better from three-point range, shooting 40.0 percent from behind the arc (4-for-10) and even better from the free throw line, going 11-for-16 for 68.8 percent.
Despite out-rebounding the Vikings offensively (15-11), Western Washington picked up 26 defensive rebounds to the Nanooks' 19 to tally 37 over Alaska's 34 boards on the night. The Vikings also picked up 22 assists on their home court to the Nanooks' eight, while capitalizing on Alaska's 27 turnovers with 16 steals.
The Nanooks were led offensively by sophomore guard
Lexi Carpenter, who shot 7-for-20 from the floor, 3-for-5 from behind the arc and 2-for-2 from the free throw line to collect a game-high 19 points. Carpenter also chipped in four rebounds and one steal in her 35 minutes on the court.
Following Carpenter's lead, junior forward
Ashlie Blackburn was the only Alaska player to score double-digit figures, registering a career- and season-best 12 points against WWU. Blackburn shot 5-for-10 from the field and 2-for-5 from the free throw line, while also picking up a team-best seven rebounds, including a game-high five offensive camrons.
Sophomore guard
Kylie Wallace led the Nanooks in assists, registering three on the night, while redshirt-sophomore guard
Sabrina Ungaro tallied a team-high three steals in 30 minutes on the court.
The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team continued GNAC play on Sunday, Dec. 31, as they take on the Simon Fraser Clan at the West Gymnasium in Burnaby, British Columbia. Tip-off is slated for 1pm AKST.
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.
