MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team fell to the WOU Wolves on Saturday, Jan. 21. The two-point loss drops the 'Nooks to 7-10, 2-7 GNAC.
 
Alaska held on to a one-point lead at the halftime break, but a three-point advantage in the second for Western Oregon played the difference despite the Nanooks outshooting the Wolves on the night. In the first, Jordan Kanoe got the 'Nooks scoring started, tying the game at 2-2 with a jumper. WOU jumped ahead by four at 6-2 but a Tyler Mrus bucket and Mawich Kachjaani free throws tied the game at six with 16:00 on the clock. Mrus followed with his own, giving the 'Nooks an 8-6 lead. The two sides traded buckets until the 22-22 mark of the first when the 'Nooks used a Paul Johnson three-pointer to take a three-point lead and spark a run that put them up 29-23. 
 
WOU rallied back to hit a three with 58 seconds remaining before finding a put-back layup at the buzzer to make it 29-28 Alaska at halftime.
 
To start the second, the two sides traded leads. After Mrus took back the lead off of a steal and fastbreak bucket, he followed it up with another layup, making it a 37-34 lead for the 'Nooks. WOU responded with a bucket to tie the game before grabbing the lead back at 39-37. Alaska tied it at 39-39 with an Abullahi Mohamed layup but that was the last tie of the game. 
 
Down the stretch in the final few minutes, the Nanooks had a few chances to tie or take the lead but could not capitalize. Mrus made it a one-point deficit with a half minute remaining, making it 60-59 WOU. After forcing a turnover, the Nanooks had the ball, but returned the ball to WOU with a jump ball turnover just outside the paint with about seven seconds left on the clock. They quickly fouled WOU to send Jahville Collins to the line. He made one of the free throws, leaving Alaska down two with six seconds remaining but Momahed missed a layup and Jordan Kanoe missed a follow-up as the horn sounded. Western Oregon escaped with the 61-59 win over the Nanooks. 
 
Mrus and Mohamed were the only Nanooks to score in double-digits as Mrus led the way with 16 and Mohamed followed with 13. Mohamed added six rebounds. 
 
The Nanooks are back in Fairbanks next weekend as they take on Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 28 at 1:15 p.m. AKT. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks athletics page on Facebook.