NAMPA, Idaho - The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team fell to NNU on Saturday, Feb. 11. Despite a scrappy effort and five double-digit scorers, turnovers plagued the Nanooks throughout the evening, and they fell 79-72, dropping to 4-17, 1-13 GNAC on the season. 

For the second game in a row, Emma Wass opened the scoring for the Nanooks, giving Alaska a 2-0 lead. The Nighthawks jumped out to a 20-15 lead after the opening quarter. However, the 'Nooks battled in the second entering half down six, 33-27. Out of the break after going down as much as 11, Paola-Perez Mendoza gave life to the 'Nooks performing several highlight plays in quick succession to help ignite a 12-0 Alaska run, giving the Nanooks the 40-39 lead. NNU would respond to go up 6 at the end of the third, 54-48. To start the fourth, Kayla Johnson and Destiny Reimers combined for the 'Nooks first nine points, cutting the lead to two, 59-57. That would be the closest the Nanooks would get on the night, falling 79-72. 

Wass opened up the scoring and gave the 'Nooks an early lead. Johnson and Sam Tolliver had early responses keeping the game within 1, 7-6, early in the first. NNU responded with a quick seven points to take an eight-point lead. However, a Wass jumper and Emma McKenney three cut the lead to just three, 14-11, with 3:55 left in the first. Each team traded baskets, and a last-possession layup by the Nighthawks would give them a 20-15 lead after the first quarter. The two teams combined for 18 first-quarter turnovers, a sign of things to come as the teams combined for 52 turnovers on the night. Six straight made free throws by Wass, Tolliver and McKinney kept the 'Nooks in the game early in the second quarter, 24-21. A strong and-one by Wass answered a quick 4-0 NNU run, 28-24, with 2:20 left in the half. A Destiny Reimers layup and a free throw down the stretch kept Alaska down just four, yet for a second quarter-in-a-row a late basket by NNU stretched their lead, to 33-27, at the half. 

After a scoreless first minute out of the break by both teams, the Nighthawks took the lid off the basket stretching their lead to 11, 39-28, with 7:52 to go in the third quarter. After another scoreless minute by either side, Paola Perez-Mendoza put the 'Nooks on her back, scoring or assisting on eight of 12 straight Alaska points giving Alaska their first lead since the opening seconds, 40-39. Reimers scored the go-ahead layup off of a pass from McKenney. NNU came down and got fouled, immediately taking the lead back. However, McKenney would answer hitting a three-pointer to give Alaska a two-point lead. A 13-5 NNU run was capped off by a three with just 14 seconds remaining in the quarter, 54-48, a lead that the Nighthawks would never relinquish. Nine straight points by Reimers and Johnson cut the Nighthawks' lead to just 2, 59-57, with 6:29 remaining. Alas, every Alaska run was matched by NNU closing out the game, 79-72. 

Five Nanooks scored in double figures, McKenney led the way with 18 points, going 5-7 including 3-4 from three, while adding four rebounds. Johnson netted 13 of her own. The trio of Wass, Reimers and Tolliver added 11 each. 

The Nanooks return home for their final two home games of the 2022-23 season with a match-up against Western Oregon in their Pink Game/Women in Sports Day on Thursday, Feb. 16, before wrapping up the home campaign with Senior Day Saturday, Feb. 18 against Saint Martin's.  

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.