LACEY, Wash. - The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team fell to the Saint Martin's Saints on Thursday, Jan. 19. With the loss, the Nanooks fall to 4-11, 1-7 GNAC.

The 'Nooks led for 31:57 but Saint Martin's used a 24-11 fourth quarter advantage to grab the eight-point win over Alaska. In the first, the Nanooks outshot SMU 42.1% to 41.2%, holding a 19-15 lead after the opening 10 minutes. SMU responded with a 17-15 scoring advantage in the second to cut the Nanooks' lead to two at halftime. Out of the locker room, Alaska shot 47.1% from the floor and 40% from deep, taking a 52-47 lead into the fourth quarter but a 50% shooting performance and five more made field goals for SMU is what played the difference late as SMU defeated Alaska 71-63.

Off the opening tip, Kayla Johnson got the scoring started with a quick fast break bucket making it 2-0 Alaska. SMU quickly answered back with a three and from that point on in the first, the two teams traded baskets. Following a made Ellen Silva free-throw, Sam Tolliver knocked-down her first three of the night to make it 10-7 'Nooks. Their three-point lead stuck until the 52 second mark when Emma Wass put up a three-point play to make it 19-13 Nanooks but SMU responded with a layup with 10 seconds remaining in the quarter, making it 19-15 after one. To open the second, their lead grew to six at the 6:14 mark on a pair of Emma McKenney free throws. The lead fluctuated between two and four for the final 5:35 ending with a 34-32 lead at the break. 

At the break, Sam Tolliver was leading all scorers with 10 points on 4-6 shooting and 2-3 shooting from deep. Kayla Johnson and Destiny Reimers each added six in the first half. 

McKenney opened the third with a bucket off of a quick SMU turnover, making it a 37-32 game only 12 seconds into the second half but SMU went on a run in the next three minutes to grab a one-point at 40-39. Despite the run and small lead, the 'Nooks immediately responded with 11-straight, going up by nine with 3:27 left, using back-to-back Ellen Silva layups, a Kayla Johnson fast break layup, another Silva jumper and a Sam Tolliver layup. SMU stopped the run but McKenney responded with a three, making it a 10-point lead with 2:01 remaining in the third. The Saints hit a three-point play and a fast break bucket off of a steal to make it 52-47 Nanooks after three. Silva opened up the scoring in the fourth before SMU made their first run of the quarter. They scored eight-straight to take a one-point lead at 55-54 with 6:55 to play in regulation. Destiny Reimers got the lead back for Alaska out of a media timeout before the two sides traded buckets. A Saint Martin's three gave them the lead for the final time with 5:07 remaining. Their lead grew to four with 1:48 remaining before Tolliver made it a three-point game after splitting a pair of free throws. 

Unfortunately that was as close as the 'Nooks came in the final few minutes as SMU's lead grew to eight to end the game at 71-63.

Sam Tolliver ended the night with a team-high 15 points on a 5-10 shooting night. She connected from deep twice as her and McKenney made the only three pointers of the night for Alaska. Tolliver also posted three steals, two assists and rebounds and a blocked shot. McKenney ended the night with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. Ellen Silva shot 5-9 from the floor and ended with 11 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and a steal. Johnson and Reimers also scored 10 on the night. 

The Nanooks are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 21 at Western Oregon.

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.