SEATTLE, Wash.- In front of a hostile SPU crowd,  the Nanooks men's basketball team moved to 2-5, 1-0 GNAC in their GNAC opener. 

Alaska withstood a first-half surge by the Falcons, who opened the first half on a roll, extending their lead to eight midway through the first half.  A Jayscon Bereal Jr. jumper and an Abdullahi Mohamed three cut the Falcon lead to three. Immediate answers from the Falcons, kept the lead at seven, 24-17. However, Alaska would not be stopped embarking on a nearly six-minute 19-0 run to flip the game on its head. The Nanooks bench catalyzed the 19-0 run, seeing the bench account for all 19 points, 36-24. Mawich Kachjaani netted eight of the 19 by himself, taking over several minutes of action. 

SPU would cut into the lead just before the break, pulling within seven at the :40 mark. At halftime the lead would be nine, 41-32. 

The second half was all Nanooks, as Alaska rattled off the first 12 points of the half, culminated by a Bryan Nguyen and-one to stretch the lead to 21, 53-32. SPU's first second-half basket would come at the 14:10 mark. The Nanooks would keep their lead the rest of the half, stretching it to as much as a 24-point lead. SPU cut into the lead late, getting the lead down to 16, 78-62. The run would be too little too late, however, seeing the Nanooks win, 82-64. 

Mohamed led the way offensively for Alaska with 17 points. He also grabbed five rebounds and added an assist, block and steal. Bryan Nguyen, TJ Doman and Mawich Kachjaani each scored in double figures, with 12, 10 and 10, respectively. Kachjaani added seven boards off the bench. 

The Nanooks bench unit outscored SPU 42-19. Additionally, the Nanooks outrebounded SPU by 11 and hit 11 more free throws. 

The Nanooks will continue GNAC play at Montana State Billings on Saturday, Dec. 2. 

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