FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team will host Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific this week to open their 2022-23 GNAC schedule. The 'Nooks enter this week fresh off their first win of the season during the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational in Fairbanks. 
 
Monday, Nov. 28
Montana State Billings | Live Video | Live Stats | Tickets
7:00 p.m. | Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center | Fairbanks, Alaska
 
Thursday, Dec. 1
Seattle Pacific | Live Video | Live Stats | Tickets
5:15 p.m. | Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center | Fairbanks, Alaska
 
Last Time Out
The Nanooks are fresh off their first win of the season over the Salem Tigers in the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational. After falling to Post on night one, 82-69, the Nanooks came out on day two and used a huge third quarter to run away with an 80-64 win over the Tigers behind 25 points from Emma McKenney and a double-double from Ellen Silva. Silva grabbed 14 points while posting 11 points. Kayla Johnson split the two in scoring, posting 17 points while grabbing nine rebounds, nearly joining with another double-double. 
 
#NookNotes

• The Nanooks showed their grit on the glass in Saturday's win; they outrebounded the Tigers 53-35, including 17 offensive rebounds with Silva grabbing five and Johnson grabbing four. 
• Through four games, Emma McKenney leads the 'Nooks in scoring with 17.8 points per game. She's scored 71 points this season while shooting 43.9% from the floor, 53.6% from three and 83.3% from the free-throw line. 
• She is tied for second in the GNAC for made three-pointer and third in percentage through five games. She leads the conference in three-pointers made per game, averaging 3.8 made threes a game. 
• Ellen Silva is nearly averaging a double-double. She's averaging 12.4 points per game while grabbing 9.4 rebounds per game. She is shooting 55.8% from the floor, good for third in the GNAC. 
• Her 9.4 rebounds per game is fourth in the GNAC. She leads the conference in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 4.6 per game. She also leads with 23 total offensive rebounds. 
• Destiny Reimers is second in scoring for the Nanooks, averaging 13.8 points per game. She posted a game-high 22 points in Friday's loss to Post, going 9-13 from the floor while grabbing five rebounds and dishing four assists. 
• The 'Nooks are fifth in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 71.4 points per game.
• They are fifth in three-point shooting percentage as well, shooting 30.8% from deep as a team. 
• Alaska leads the GNAC in offensive rebounds with 73 (14.6/game). They are third in total with 73, trailing MSUB (84) and NNU (75). 

Meet the Opponents
 
MSUB Yellow Jackets (6-1, 0-0 GNAC)
MSUB grabbed the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational championship this weekend, going 2-0 with wins over Post and Salem. On day one, they defeated the Salem Tigers 69-56 before winning the title over Post with a commanding 66-45 win over the Eagles. Billings is led by Dyauni Boyce in the scoring category as she's posted 90 points in seven games, all starts, as she averages 12.9 points per game. Cariann Kunkel is the only other MSUB player in double-digits, averaging 11.7 points per game through seven games and starts.
 
Boyce leads the way with a 50.7 shooting percentage from the floor and 38.5% from deep. Chloe Williams leads the Jackets from the free-throw line with an 85.7% free-throw percentage. Boyce is the team leader in rebounds, grabbing 7.7 boards a game. Williams is tops on defense with 13 steals, the only MSUB player in double-digit steals. 
 
SPU Falcons (2-2, 0-0 GNAC)
Seattle Pacific enters this week's game riding a one-game losing streak. They were in Denver, Colo., for the Regis Thanksgiving Classic and knocked-off the host school, Regis University on day one (66-63) before falling to Colorado School of Mines on day two, 65-54. SPU's other win came against Azusa Pacific on Nov. 19, 70-64 after falling in their season-opener. Through four games, Ashley Alter is the leading scorer for the Falcons with 18 points per game. Alongside her 72 points, she's grabbed 23 rebounds, grabbing 5.8 per game. 
 
Schuyler Berry follows, averaging 12.5 points per game and grabbing a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game. Anna Eddy and Alter lead the way with four steals on the year.
 
What's to Come
After their GNAC openers this week against MSUB and SPU, the Nanooks will welcome Multnomah to town for a two-game weekend next Friday and Saturday on Dec. 9-10. The Friday game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and the Saturday game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Come out for women's basketball before swinging over to the Carlson Center for the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup! 

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.