SEATTLE, Wash. – The Nanooks men's basketball team took on the number two seed, the Western Washington Vikings in the 2020 GNAC semifinals, falling by a final score of 64-76, ending their season. 
 
The first half was a half of offensive answers. Neither side could find and keep a strong lead. Both sides ended the half shooting in the high 40's percent-wise, and both knocked down 12 shots with four three-pointers. After falling behind by eight points only three minutes into the first-half, the 'Nooks battled back behind 12 points from Shadeed Shabazz and eight from Spencer Sweet. The Vikings were led by their star-senior, Trevor Jasinsky who shot 4-7 from the field with three from beyond the arc and a first half-high 14 points. 
 
The game was fast-paced from the get go as the Vikings led the game off with two jumpers and a big dunk from Cameron Rutherford, jumping out to a quick 0-7 lead. Despite the early deficit, the 'Nooks stayed the course and battled back, pulling within two at 21-23 behind Sweet's second bucket of the night. The first half ended with the Vikings going on one last run, grabbing a four-point lead, but Alex Sommerfield found the bottom of the net with just seconds remaining off of pick-and-pop, making it a 33-34 score heading into the first half. 
 
Coming out of the locker room, the Vikings grabbed the first six points, running out to a quick 33-40 lead over the Nanooks. Unfortunately, the Nanooks had only one more push in them, as they battled back to grab a one point leadat 44-43 on a Shabazz layup. After that bucket, however, the Vikings took the lead back and did not look back. For the remaining 15:05 of the game, Western held the lead and got up by as many as 17. 
 
Shabazz the night as the game-high scorer with 29 points on 11-24 shooting. The Nanooks had no other offensive player end in double-digits with Sweet ending the night as the next highest scorer with eight points. 
 
This loss ends the most successful season the Nanooks have had in just under five years, as they advanced to the GNAC postseason for the first time since the 2015-16 season and won a postseason game for the first time since that same season. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanook men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks athletics page on Facebook.