FAIRBANKS - The Alaska women's basketball team traveled to Montana State Billings University to open up the season's final stretch. Alaska started strong and looked like they could handle the Yellow Jackets, but MSUB managed to get into a rhythm and defeat the 'Nooks, 83-58. 

Senior Sam Tolliver got the scoring started for both teams with a three, the Yellow Jackets would answer with a three of their own. After two Ellen Silva free throws, MSUB responded yet again with a three for an early, 6-5 lead. A Silva jumper followed by a Destiny Reimers three pushed the Nanooks' lead to four, 10-6, with 4:41 remaining in the first. Later in the first, four quick Kayla Johnson points pushed Alaska's lead to six, 14-8. MSUB went on a quick 8-2 run behind two threes to tie the game with less than a minute remaining in the first. An Emma McKenney layup pushed the lead back to two before a quick Yellowjacket answer closed the first tied, 18-18. 

Silva opened the scoring in the second quarter with a layup, 20-18. Over the next five minutes, each team would trade basket for basket, seeing the game tied, 29-29, off of a Silva jumper. However, the well would dry up for the 'Nooks over the back half of the second quarter, seeing the Yellowjackets go on a 9-1 lead, to go up eight at halftime, 38-30. 

The Nanooks shot the ball well coming in the third quarter, going 6-10 over the quarter and 4-5 from the line. However, MSUB continued their hot night, going 11-21 in the quarter with three three-pointers, outsourcing Alaska 25-16, and taking a 63-46 lead into the fourth. Both Alaska and MSUB hit a cold stretch in the fourth, shooting 5-14 and 6-18 from the field in the quarter. The quarter would go to the Yellowjackets, 21-12, ending the game 84-58. 

Three Nanooks scored in double-figures, with Ellen Silva leading the way with 18 points, going 8-11 from the field and 2-2 from the line. Silva also added six rebounds. Destiny Reimers and Kayla Johnson both added 11 points and four rebounds apiece. 

Alaska is back in action on Saturday, February 25th, as they hit the road and take on Seattle Pacific at 1:00 p.m. to wrap up the season. 

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.