FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team is set to host the Western Washington Vikings on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 3:00 p.m. Western is coming off of a win at Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, Jan. 20.
Jan. 22, 2022 vs. Western Washington
Live Video >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otumA_pdPCU
Live Stats >> https://alaskananooks.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Tickets >> http://bit.ly/nanooks-tickets
Alaska Airlines Gymnasium, Patty Center, 3:00 p.m.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team fell to their in-state rivals on Saturday, Jan. 15. After a strong comeback in the second quarter, the Nanooks fell behind in the second half and dropped the matchup to UAA 76-50.
Out of the gates it was all Anchorage as the Seawolves took a 24-12 lead into the second quarter. UAA jumped ahead 13-2 within the first four minutes before the Nanooks snapped their run.
Destiny Reimers made a layup off of her own miss, pulling the 'Nooks back within nine. A free throw from
Claudia Diez Marti made it an eight-point game with 3:55 remaining in the first, but that was the closest they drew in the opening 10 minutes. Quickly into the second, the momentum shifted to Fairbanks. A Diez Marti layup made it a 10-point game and
Pearle Green then connected from deep a minute later, pulling them within six.
Paola Perez-Mendoza made it a two-point deficit with 1:30 left in the half, but Anchorage found a late bucket, taking a four-point lead into the half. After battling back, the Nanooks struggled in the third. They were outscored 20-11 and fell behind by 13 entering the final quarter. In the third, Alaska managed to pull within four only two minutes into the quarter, but Anchorage's lead grew out to 13 with just under two minutes remaining and stuck at 13 heading to the fourth.
In the fourth, the Seawolves maintained a double-digit lead the entire quarter and pushed it ahead to 22 with four minutes remaining before winning 76-50.
Pearle Green was the leading-scorer for the Nanooks, posting 13 points on 5-10 FG.
Claudia Diez Marti was next in scoring with 11 and hit 5-5 from the free-throw line.
Destiny Reimers ended the night with nine points and 11 rebounds, a team-high.
Quick Hitters
- The Nanooks are averaging 61.3 points per game as a team. Their current scoring margin is -13.2 as their opponents are averaging 74.5 points per game.
- Alaska is shooting 35% from the floor and 24.2% from deep. They're averaging 10.1 free throws made per game and are shooting 66% from the line.
- They're averaging 9.8 steals per game as a team with 98 total on the season.
- Pearle Green is leading the way in scoring for the Nanooks as the freshman is putting up 16.2 per game. She's shooting 39.3% from the floor, 34.3% from deep and 77.8% from the free-throw line.
- Destiny Reimers is next in line with 12.4 points per game. She's shooting 40% from the field and 62.2% from the free-throw line.
- The final Nanook in double-digits is Claudia Diez Marti. The freshman from Tarragona, Spain is averaging 10.1 points per game while shooting 68.3% from the free-throw line.
- Paola Perez-Mendoza is leading the way for the Nanooks on the defensive end with 25 steals. Green and Reimers follow with 23 and 21, respectively.
- Perez-Mendoza is leading the way on the distribution, picking up 37 assists through 10 games.
- Reimers is the team-leader in rebounds per game, grabbing 6.9 per game. On the season she's picked up 17 offensive boards and 52 defensive.
- Ellen Silva is the lone-Nanook with more offensive rebounds, picking up 19 through 10 games.
Scouting the Opponent
Western Washington Vikings (11-1, 3-1 GNAC, 1st)
The Vikings enter this weekend #13 in the D2SIDA Women's Basketball Poll and #11 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Poll. The Vikings got back in the win column knocking off Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage on Thursday, Jan. 20 by the score of 53-45. The Vikings opened their season 10-0 using a win against Humboldt State to open their season. They then hit the road for the Cal State San Marcos Hoops Classic. They took both games, defeating Azusa Pacific and San Marcos. They then picked up three more wins heading into conference-play. They beat Regis, Colorado Christian and Lincoln (Ca.). To open GNAC play, they beat Simon Fraser 82-60. Over holiday break they played their final non-conference games, beating Academy of Art and Holy Names. They beat Western Oregon on Dec. 30 before falling for the first time. They lost to Central Washington on their home-court, 76-68 before returning to their winning ways against Anchorage.
The Vikings are led by Emma Duff. Through 12 games, Duff is the leading scorer, putting up 14.7 per game while also grabbing a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game. Duff is shooting 47% from the floor, 36.1% from deep and 86% from the free-throw line. She also leads WWU in steals with 16 and is tied for the team-lead in blocks with 11. Mollie Olson is the only other Viking in double-digit scoring. She is averaging 10.1 per game through eight games played. Dani Iwami is the top-distributor for the Vikings as she's dished 28 assists through 11 games. The Vikings as a team are averaging 14.8 assists per game while also scoring 69.9 points per game.
GNAC Standings
1. Western Washington, 11-1, 3-1 GNAC
2. Seattle Pacific, 7-7, 3-1 GNAC
3. Northwest Nazarene, 10-4, 4-2 GNAC
4. Montana State Billings, 10-8, 4-2 GNAC
5. Alaska Anchorage, 10-3, 3-2 GNAC
6. Central Washington, 10-4, 3-2 GNAC
7. Western Oregon, 7-6, 3-3 GNAC
8. Simon Fraser, 5-8, 1-3 GNAC
9. Saint Martin's, 9-5, 1-4 GNAC
10. Alaska, 1-9, 0-5 GNAC
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Twitter, @NanookWBB on Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball team page on Facebook.
