BELLINGHAM, Wash. – In the 2016-17 regular season finale, the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team took a heartbreaking 78-71 loss to the Western Washington Vikings, one of the top teams in NCAA DII, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest at the Whatcom Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.
"Tonight's performance was one of the best I've seen form this team," head coach Cody Bench said following Saturday's game. "They played like warriors. This group of seniors will leave UAF accomplishing more than any other team since joining the conference. We lost our final two games of the season to ranked teams on the road by nine points combined, which is something to be proud of."
The Nanooks conclude the year with a 13-14 mark overall and 9-11 in GNAC play. The nine conference wins in a two-game improvement over last year's squad and is the most GNAC wins in a season since tying the 2004-05 season. Alaska also finishes the year 8-7 at home, marking their second-straight winning season on the Alaska Airlines Court.
Senior forward Kaillee Skjold was the only player to post a double-double in her finale college game, posting a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Skjold's10th double-double of the season marks the most in a single-season for the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball program in over a decade. Skjold shot 8-of-22 from the floor and converted on each of her five free throws, while also chipping in two assists, two blocks and one steal.
Fellow senior forward Jordan Wilson tallied 13 points on the night, shooting 3-of-8 from the floor and tallying 7-of-9 free throws, while also adding four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Senior guard Jaylee Mays was the only other Nanook to score double-digit figures with 10 points.
The Nanooks shot 41.8 percent from the field (23-of-55), 38.9 percent from behind the three-point line (7-of-18) and 81.8 percent from the free throw line (18-of-22). The Nooks also collected 27 rebounds, 13 assists and registered 20 points in the paint, 10 points off of turnovers and 14 points off second chances.
Western Washington was led by Kiana Gandy and one of the nation's top-scorers Taylor Peacocke, who scored 19 points and 18 points, respectively. The Vikings shot 50 percent from the field (28-of-56), 36.4 percent from three-point territory (4-of-11) and 85.7 percent from the free throw line (18-of-21).
The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team said farewell to seniors Jordan Wilson, Kaillee Skjold, Jaylee Mays, Victoria Milton, Autumn Childers and Gabriela Jimenez.
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