FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks continues Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on the road this week, as they take on the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks in Nampa, Idaho on Thursday, Jan. 11 before heading to Ellensburg, Washington to face the Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday, Jan.13. Thursday's game is scheduled for 5pm AKST, while Saturday's matchup is slated for 6:30pm AKST.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans are not able to make this week's games in Nampa and Ellensburg, both Thursday and Saturday's games will be broadcasted and streamed live through the Alaska Nanooks Stretch Internet Portal (link posted above). Please note the home school will be producing the stream.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks hit the road after splitting at home last week, as the Nooks fell 95-79 to the Seattle Pacific Falcons last Thursday before bouncing back and defeating the Saint Martin's Saints 78-71 on Saturday.
GNAC Standings
The Alaska Nanooks are tied for fourth place in the GNAC standings, posting a 3-3 record in conference play. Three other GNAC teams have a 3-3 record in league games, including Saint Martin's, Northwest Nazarene and Alaska Anchorage.
All-Time Series
The Alaska Nanooks are 19-15 all-time against NNU with the first meeting between the two teams resulting in an 81-77 win in the 1960-61 season. The Nanooks are currently on a four-game winning streak against the Nighthawks with their last meeting coming as a 73-70 victory at home on Feb. 25, 2017.
Against the CWU Wildcats, the Nanooks trail the all-time series 18-41 with their first meeting coming as a 98-66 loss for the Nanooks at home on Dec. 17, 1955. Currently, the Nooks are on a two-game losing streak against the Wildcats with their last meeting coming as a 74-67 loss at home on Feb. 23, 2017.
Ranked Nooks
Seven Nanooks rank within the top-10 individually in the GNAC in eight different statistical categories:
- Rebounds
- Field Goal Percentage
- Assists
- Steals
- Three-Point Field Goal Percentage
- Three-Point Field Goals-Made
- Offensive Rebounds
- Defensive Rebounds
Scouting the Opponent – Northwest Nazarene (7-5 Overall, 3-3 GNAC)
Northwest Nazarene picked up a pair of road splits last week, falling 67-66 to Western Washington before beating Simon Fraser 82-81. Senior forward Maurice Jones led the way for the Nighthawks, averaging 21 points and 11.5 rebounds in the two games. He finished with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds at WWU and added 24 points and 11 rebounds against SFU, including a pair of game-winning free throws with 0.1 seconds left. Jones leads the GNAC in scoring at 19.4 points per game and is second in the conference with 9.8 rebounds per game. As a team, NNU is third in the GNAC in scoring at 88.3 points per game and is averaging 36.9 rebounds per game. The Nighthawks are fourth in the league in free throw shooting at 70.9 percent.
Scouting the Opponent – Central Washington (7-6 Overall, 2-4 GNAC)
Central Washington dropped a par of road games last week, losing 91-78 to SFU before falling 77-67 to Western Washington. Senior forward Jerome Bryant led the Wildcats offensively, averaging 13.5 points per game in the two contests and shot 64.7 percent from the field. He led five CWU players in double figures with 14 points at SFU and added 13-point performance at WWU. CWU enters the week averaging 78.6 points per game and is second in the GNAC with 39.2 rebounds per game. The Wildcats are second in the GNAC in field goal defense at .414 and is tied for first in the GNAC with 12 offensive rebounds per game.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks page on Facebook.
