PUEBLO, Colo. – The Nanooks women's basketball team fell to Colorado Christian University on Saturday, Nov. 19, in their final game of the Al Kaly Classic. With the loss, the Nanooks drop to 0-3, 0-0 on the season.
 
The Nanooks rushed out to an early 12-4 lead early in the first quarter. The Nanooks came out on fire from deep early, hitting four straight threes to open the game. Caitlin Pusich and Emma McKenney accounted for the four threes, McKenney hitting three, with seven on the day. CCU fought back, though, cutting the lead to just two at the end of the first, 20-18. The second quarter followed much like the first, as neither team could maintain a lead for the first half of the second quarter. The Cougars would hold the lead, pushing it to seven, 39-32, with four minutes left in the half. However, Alaska would fight back with ten quick points by Emma McKenney and Paola Perez-Mendoza. Perez-Mendoza's last-second jumper gave the Nanooks a lead heading into the half.
 
The third-quarter woes reared their head again, though, as the Cougars turned a one-point disadvantage into a nine-point lead by the end of the third. Alaska would fight in the fourth, as a Perez-Mendoza steal and layup cut the Cougar lead to just three, 69-66. However, an 8-1 run by the Cougars stifled the comeback attempt as the Nanooks would fall. 
 
McKenney led the team with 26 points, including seven three-pointers. Perez-Mendoza would add 10 of her own, adding two assists and two steals. Destiny Reimers joined the double-figure club with 12 of her own, adding five rebounds and two assists. Ellen Silva and Kayla Johnson would add 11 rebounds apiece. Silva was just two points short of a double-double. 
 
The Nanooks women's basketball team returns home for their home opener next week to host the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational. The 'Nooks will have two home games. First, on Nov. 25th at 7:30 p.m. to play Post University. The second game is on Sat. Nov. 26th at 7:30 p.m. against Salem University. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball team page on Facebook.