FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team ended their 2023 Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational with a 59-55 win over the Scots of Covenant College to go 2-0 on the weekend, their first-ever undefeated NSI. 

Despite going 2-0, Multnomah University grabbed the title by winning the point differential tiebreaker. 

It was all even at 14-14 after the first quarter in Fairbanks. The Scots outshot the 'Nooks 37.5% to 33.3%. The Nanooks jumped out to a 4-0 on a Kayla Johnson directly off the tip followed by a pair of Johnson free throws. The two sides traded buckets and a Taylor Tiulana three made it 10-7 'Nooks with 4:15 to play in the first. After Johnson retook the lead at 12-11 on a layup, Anna Nevison knocked down a three to make it 14-11 but Covenant hit a buzzer-beating three to tie it at 14-14 after one. Alaska jumped on Covenant to start the second, pushing out to a 21-14 lead. Emma McKenney started the run with a quick jumper before Tiulana knocked down another three. Emma Wass finished the run with a layup before the Scots battled back. The 'Nooks held off the first run from Covenant, but at the 3:17 mark, they tied it at 26-26 before taking the lead. Another last-second three for the Scots gave them a 32-28 advantage going into the break.

Both sides hit a lull on offense until Jayda Van Dyke broke the silence at the 7:40 mark. She hit a three to pull the 'Nooks to within one at 32-31. Covenant broke their drought and grew their lead to seven. Before the end of the quarter, the Nanooks battled back to tie the game at 41-41 heading into the fourth. 

The fourth saw the Nanooks regain the momentum and grow their lead out to five on an Emma McKenney layup. The Scots answered a three to pull within two but Emma Wass answered with a three of her own to make it 51-46 'Nooks. That was the biggest lead of the fourth for the 'Nooks as Covenant answered each bucket with their own, however, the closest they'd come was one-point and the Nanooks would go on to prevail by four. Wass put the game out of reach with five seconds remaining, knocking down a pair of free throws. 

She led the 'Nooks with another double-double performance, scoring 12 and grabbing 13 rebounds. She added two assists and a steal in the win. Kayla Johnson also scored a dozen points, grabbing eight rebounds and three steals and dishing an assist. Emma McKenney had 11 points and Taylor Tiulana ended with 10 this afternoon.

The 'Nooks open GNAC play this upcoming week. They'll begin conference play at Seattle Pacific and Montana State Billings on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

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