FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team escaped with a three-point victory over the Western Oregon Wolves on Thursday, Feb. 16. With the win, the Nanooks improve to 11-12, 6-9 GNAC and stay within striking distance of a playoff spot as they enter their final three games of the season. 

In the first, Alaska shot 44.8%, going 13-29 from the floor and 2-5 from deep. WOU was 10-27 from the floor and hit only one three. With the offensive advantage, the Nanooks took a seven-point lead into the locker room at 32-25. Out of the break, the two sides flip-flopped as WOU posted a 46.1% second-half while Alaska shot 35.7% from the floor. Down the stretch, the Wolves pulled within a bucket but the Nanooks prevailed and grabbed the three-point win. In the first, Nick Hopkins kick-started his big night with a fastbreak bucket in transition off of a Tyler Mrus steal. Hopkins connected again before a Paul Johnson three made it 7-2 Nanooks in the opening 2:32. 

The Nanooks went on a small run after WOU pulled within a point, quickly turning their 7-6 lead into a 14-6 lead on an Isaac Garcia. They'd maintain the eight-point lead for nearly two minutes until a Cameron Cranston three from WOU cut the lead to five. Alaska pressed off each run from Western Oregon until their lead became a one-point deficit at 23-22 Wolves. Despite losing the lead, the 'Nooks responded with a 7-0 run to make it 29-23 with 37 seconds remaining in the first. Their momentum would carry into the locker room as Bryan Nguyen was fouled with 0.3 seconds remaining, resulting in three shots. He'd knock all down to make it 32-25 at the half. The lead maintained for the 'Nooks to open the second half and eventually reached double-digits at the 14:53 mark on a Bryan Nguyen layup. WOU cut into the lead, getting it back to single-digits and down to seven at the 8:13 mark. After an Abdullahi Mohamed free throw, Jaycson Bereal, Jr. attacked the rim and made it 51-41 for a 10-point lead at the 7:54 mark off of a missed free throw by Mohamed. 

Alaska gained even more momentum nearly 30 seconds later as Qiant Myers was ejected after being called for a Flagrant 2 foul. 

Bryan Nguyen was awarded two free throws and their lead grew to a dozen with less than eight minutes to play. The lead would reach as much as 14 at the 5:14 mark before WOU made their final push. Down the stretch, Cameron Cranston connected on back-to-back-to-back shots, making Alaska's lead go from eight to one in a minute and a half. Alaska's defense stepped up down the stretch causing two missed layups in the final 17 seconds. Nick Hopkins grabbed his 12th board of the night after the second miss and after being fouled, sealed the game with a pair of free throws. He'd grab his 13th rebound after Cranston missed the potential game-tying shot with five seconds remaining. 

Hopkins led the 'Nooks with 14 points on 5-10 shooting. He added 4-5 shooting from the free-throw line and grabbed 13 rebounds and dished two assists. Nguyen joined Hopkins with 14 points on 4-9 shooting and a three. He went 5-5 from the line, grabbed four rebounds and dished an assist. Mohamed fouled out in only 25 minutes of play but he ended the night with 11 points, going 4-6 from the floor.

The Nanooks welcome the Saints of Saint Martin's on Saturday, Feb. 18 for senior day. Tip is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center. 

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.