FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team will host a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches at the Alaska Airlines Court this week, taking on the Simon Fraser Clan on Thursday, Feb. 21 before facing the Western Washington Vikings on Saturday, Feb. 23. Tip-off Thursday is set for 7pm AKST, while Saturday is slated for 2pm AKST.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans aren't able to make this week's games in Fairbanks, all home and conference contests for the remainder of the season will be broadcasted live through the Alaska Nanooks Stretch Internet Portal in the link posted above. Please be advised that when on the road, the broadcast is produced by the home school and not the Alaska Nanooks Department of Athletics.
Last Time Out
Alaska lost both games on last week's GNAC road trip, taking a 84-65 loss at Central Washington on Thursday and a 104-75 loss at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. The loss extends the Nanooks' losing streak to four games.
GNAC Standings
The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team currently sits in 11th place in the GNAC standings with a 2-14 mark in conference play. Alaska's upcoming opponents, Simon Fraser (6-9 GNAC) and Western Washington (6-9 GNAC), currently sit tied for seventh in the league standings with each other. Saint Martin's (14-2 GNAC), Northwest Nazarene (13-3 GNAC) and Seattle Pacific (12-4 GNAC) have each clinched a berth to the GNAC Championships.
Ranked Nooks
Two Nanooks rank within the top-10 individually in four different statistical categories:
- Defensive Rebounds
- Free Throw Percentage
- Offensive Rebounds
- Rebounding
All-Time Series
All-time against the Simon Fraser Clan, Alaska leads the series 31-22 with the first-ever meeting between the two teams resulting in an 89-84 decision in favor of the Nanooks throughout the 1966-67 season. Alaska lost their last meeting against the Clan, which was a 88-55 loss on the road on Jan. 26.
The Alaska Nanooks trial the all-time series to the Western Washington Vikings, 14-33. The first meeting between the two teams resulted in a 79-67 loss for the Nanooks throughout the 1966-67 season. The Nooks are currently riding a three-game losing streak to the Vikings, with their last win coming as a 94-88 victory at home on Feb. 4, 2017.
Scouting the Opponent – Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser lost their lone game last week, taking a 83-60 loss at Montana State Billings on Thursday to snap a three-game winning streak. Simon Fraser enters the week averaging 80.8 points per game and is ranked fourth in the GNAC at 36.2 rebounds per game. The Clan ranks third in the league with a .471 field goal percentage and is second with 16.22 assists per game. Individually, sophomore center Julian Roche is eighth in the GNAC with 14.3 points per game and fifth with 6.8 rebounds per game. He also ranks 30th in NCAA Division II with .579 field goal percentage.
Scouting the Opponent – Western Washington
Western Washington took a loss in their only game of the week, a 94-90 defeat at Montana State Billings on Saturday. Junior forward Trevor Jaskinsky is second in the GNAC with 19.7 points per game and fourth with seven rebounds per game. He is also second in the league with .884 free throw percentage and 20th in DII with 130 free throws made. Western Washington enters the week second in the GNAC with 82 points per game and 38 rebounds per game. The Vikings lead the GNAC and are 15th in DII with 4.4 blocked shots per game. They also lead the league and rank 21st in DII with a .782 free throw percentage.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks page on Facebook.
