FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team opened conference play and defeated the Western Oregon University Wolves 81-76. This win brings the Nanooks to 6-4 on the season and puts them at 1-0 in the GNAC.  
 
Western Oregon started off the game with two quick baskets and Jocelyn Gandara scored the first points for the 'Nooks to make it a 4-2 game with 8:48 left in the first. Sam Tolliver and Sabrina Ungaro both scored three-pointers the two following possessions and the team trailed 8-9 at the 7:34 mark. The rest of the quarter the two teams traded buckets back and forth and the game was 7-17 at the end of the first quarter. Alaska struggled a bit defensively in the second quarter, allowing their opponents to shoot 78.5% from the field for a total of 26 points in the second quarter. The Wolves held a nine-point lead over the Nanooks, 43-34 heading into the half.
 
After the halftime break, the Nanooks struggled to score points and shot only 20% from the field. The team played quality defense and held their opponents to 38.4% from the field, and this solid defensive showing prevented the Wolves from gaining anything larger than a 12-point lead in the third. Samantha Saccomen went 1-2 at the end of the quarter to make it a 45-56 deficit for Alaska at the end of the third. Western Oregon hit a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter and this would give them their largest lead of the game at 14 points with 9:13 left in the game. After this, the Nanooks would catch fire and respond with a 16-2 run to tie the game at 60-60 at the 4:30 mark. Sam Tolliver found her rhythm from behind the line and hit three consecutive 3-pointers to give the 'Nooks a 69-67 lead over the Wolves with 1:25 left in the game. Zosha Krupa hit a three pointer late in the game and Alaska held a 72-70 lead over Western Oregon but the Wolves got a couple chances at the free throw line and managed to tie up the game 72-72 at the end of regulation.
 
Zosha Krupa got the 'Nooks going in overtime with a fastbreak layup and the team held the lead until a free-throw trip gave their opponents the lead 76-75 with 1:06 left in overtime. Jocelyn Gandara put the nail in the coffin with a clutch 3-point shot with 14 seconds remaining in the game and a pair of free-throws from Sabrina Ungaro sealed the win for the Alaska, 81-76. Leading scorer for the team was Jocelyn Gandara with 27 points and behind her was Sam Tolliver with 18. Kylie Wallace led in rebounds with seven and Samantha Saccomen led in assists with four. Zosha Krupa and Sabrina Ungaro were very active on the defensive end and led the team in steal with three each.
 
Head coach Kerri Nakamoto shared her thoughts on the comeback win, "They threw the first punch early and it was like "woah, welcome to the GNAC". They came in here ready to play and battle and I think we responded. I did a little something different with our lineup in the second half, just because I thought we were a little more effective when we could spread the floor more with four guards and a post, and we had people step up and hit big shots. We came back from being down a decent amount, double digits, just took it possession for possession and I think it shows a lot about this team. We've done that a couple times this year and it shows their toughness and ability to step up in big moments."
 
The Nanooks shot 62% from the field and 80% from behind-the-arc in their fourth quarter comeback. The team will be home again this Saturday facing the Concordia University Cavaliers at 1 P.M. 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.