SEATTLE, Wash. – The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team was defeated by the Seattle Pacific Falcons on Saturday, Jan. 4 by a score of 68-86. This loss was the first in GNAC play for the Nanooks and made Seattle Pacific the only remaining undefeated team in conference play. Alaska is now 4-8, 3-1 GNAC. 
 
From the opening tip, the Falcons has control of the ballgame. After jumping out to a 10-0 lead, SPU extended the lead to 9-20 at the 12 minute mark. Alaska made a small run, getting within back to 18-31 with a Koby Huerta layup but following that bucket the 'Nooks couldn't pull together another run. SPU finished the half on a Divant'e Moffitt jumper with 30 seconds remaining in the half to take a 26-43 lead. In the first half, Alaska managed only a 30.3% shooting percentage and a 25% three point shooting percentage compared to  SPU's 53.1% from the field and 38.5 from beyond the arc. 
 
Alex Sommerfield led the 'Nooks in scoring with eight points and two rebounds. For the Falcons, Shaw Anderson put up 15 first half points leading the way for SPU. 
 
Out of the locker room for the second half, Shadeed Shabazz found his offensive groove, putting up 12 second half points and grabbing three rebounds. Paired with Sommerfield, the two combined for 32 points but that was not enough for the Nanooks to pull off the second half comeback. Only three and a half minutes into the second half the Falcons pushed their lead out to 22 at 31-53.
 
At the 3:16 marker, the Nanooks pulled to within 12 at 64-76, the closest they'd been since the first half and the closest they would get for the remainder of the game. The Falcons went on to close out the game on a 4-10 run and take the ballgame 68-86 over Alaska, handing the Nanooks their first loss of the GNAC season. 
 
Alaska returns home on Thursday, Jan. 9 and 11 to face off with the Simon Fraser Clan and Western Washington Vikings. Both games will be played at the Patty Center with Thursday's game starting at 7:30 p.m. AKT and Saturday's matchup beginning at 2:15 p.m. AKT. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter.