FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks fell in their GNAC opener on Thursday evening, dropping a 73-82 decision to Western Oregon.

How it Happened
Western Oregon got on the board three seconds into the game, knocking down a three to take the early lead. The Nanooks would get a bucket from Destiny Reimers before threes by Miranda Lomax and Tristian Martin put them ahead 8-7 at the 7:20 mark. Despite another three from Taylor Tiulana, a 9-3 run put WOU up five at 16-11 with 5:24 left. After nearly a minute without a score, the Nanooks logged an 8-0 run, receiving baskets from Anna Nevison, Bobbi Clark and Lomax to give them a 19-16 advantage with 2:18 remaining. However, the Wolves ended the first by scoring six unanswered points, taking a 22-19 lead into the second.

Reimers would score five of Alaska's first seven points of the quarter, capped off with an and-one conversion after a tip-in layup that tied the game at 26. After four straight Western Oregon points, the Nanooks posted an 8-1 run to put themselves ahead 34-31 with 3:18 left until halftime. Emily Freeman drained a three during the run, while Clark and Reimers chipped in with layups. A Lomax jumper gave Alaska a 38-36 lead with 42 seconds to go, but Bella Pedrojetti would knock down a three-point buzzer-beater to give the Wolves a one-point lead entering the halftime break.

Western Oregon began the third on a 10-3 run, giving the visitors a 49-41 lead at the 7:48 mark. However, a 9-2 run for the 'Nooks helped them bring the deficit to 51-50. Taylor Pilot, Johnson and Lomax contributed with layups during the run, while Reimers had a layup and a three. A Johnson three would momentarily give the Nanooks the lead at 54-53 with 3:02 left in the third, but a WOU layup put the Wolves back in front. Johnson responded with a layup of her own, and Reimers scored the next five points from the free throw line to put Alaska up 61-55 with 1:10 remaining. However, another Pedrojetti buzzer-beater would help Western Oregon trim Alaska's lead to 61-60 entering the final 10 minutes of play.

Martin got things started in the fourth with a connection from deep to bring the Nooks' advantage to four, but a 9-0 run for WOU swung the lead the other way, with the Wolves now in front 69-64. Johnson and Pilot responded with layups to make it a one-point game with 5:45 left, but Western Oregon scored 13 of the following 15 points, building an 82-70 lead before a Nevison three with 20 seconds remaining cut the deficit to nine. WOU would hold the nine-point lead, taking the game by a final of 82-73.

Inside the Numbers

• Destiny Reimers posted a team-high 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting. She also led the team in rebounds with eight and steals with four while dishing out four assists.
• Kayla Johnson was the other Nanook to finish with double-digit points, scoring 12 while knocking down 5-of-14 from the floor. She notched six rebounds, two steals and two blocks during the contest.
• Taylor Pilot, Miranda Lomax and Tristian Martin all tallied seven points, while Pilot grabbed six boards and dished out a team-high five assists.
• The Nanooks shot 34.2% from the floor and 21.4% from three, going 9-of-42 as a team from behind the three-point line.
• Alaska received 30 points from its bench compared to two for WOU. It also led in points off turnovers (27-23) but trailed in second-chance points (12-14).

What's to Come
The Nanooks play one more at home, continuing their GNAC schedule with a contest against Saint Martin's on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m.

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