FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks women's basketball team fell to the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves on Saturday, Feb. 10 in Fairbanks. The loss drops the 'Nooks to 4-18, 2-10 GNAC.

Alaska Anchorage is now 14-7, 8-4 GNAC on the season. 

The fast-paced game saw the 'Nooks hold a three-point game after the first two quarters. They jumped out to a 19-16 lead after the opening 10 minutes before a 20-20 second quarter led to a 39-36 halftime advantage for the Nanooks. In the third, the Seawolves outscored the Nanooks 26-19 to grab the advantage; they would go on to take the win despite Alaska winning the fourth quarter. 

In the first, Emma Wass got the Nanooks on the board with a jumper at the 7:53 mark. Ellen Silva and Kayla Johnson followed with jumpers of their own to extend their lead to 6-2 before a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Nanooks made it a seven-point game on an Emma McKenney three-pointer with 6:13 left, giving them their biggest lead to start the game. That lead would reach eight at the 14-6 mark before UAA chipped away and tied it at 16-16. McKenney struck again to end the quarter, hitting another three with 28 seconds remaining, making it 19-16 Alaska after one. To open the second, UAA went on a run to grab the lead. After cutting the Nanooks' lead to one, they quickly took the lead and grew their lead to five at 28-23. 

Emma Wass connected on a jumper that started a run for the Nanooks. After the jumper at the 5:22 mark, the 'Nooks found back-to-back three's from Destiny Reimers making it a one-point deficit. Ellen Silva quicly erased the deficit and gave the Nanooks the lead at 33-32 off a Reimers offensive board and dish. The two sides traded baskets and down the stretch in the second, with 24 seconds left, Anna Nevison connected from deep to make it a 39-36 Alaska lead going into the locker room. UAA controlled much of the third, outscoring the Nanooks 26-19 and shooting 50% from the floor on 10 made field goals. After grabbing the lead only 11 seconds into the second half, the Seawolves pushed their lead to as many as eight before the end of the third, setting the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium up for a show in the fourth. 

The Nanooks entered the fourth trailing by four but a jumper from Wass off of her own steal and a Kayla Johnson jumper tied the game at 62-62. Reimers later connected on another three, giving the 'Nooks a 65-64 lead. After a two-minute scoring drought, Reimers struck again, hitting her fifth three of the night and extending the lead to 68-64. In the final 6:22, that was the biggest lead either side would have. UAA came back and eventually regained the lead at the 70-69 mark; the final 4:09 would see five lead-changes. With just over a minute remaining, Johnson knocked down a jumper to give the Nanooks a 75-74 lead. 23 seconds later, UAA snagged back the lead and the Nanooks had possession, looking for a final second win. Despite missing a shot in their first look, a pair of UAA misses at the free-throw line gave the Nanooks the ball back with the one-point deficit looming. A drive and kick-out to Emma McKenney gave Alaska a great look from the corner but rolled out after touching every inch of the iron. The UAA rebound and Alaska foul sent the Seawolves to the line with three seconds remaining. After Senya Rabouin hit both free throws a last second heave was all Destiny Reimers could get off, the attempt fell short and UAA escaped with the three-point victory. 

Emma Wass had another monster game for Alaska as the senior posted a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double. She added a steal and shot 10-16 from the floor. Reimers also added a double-double as the junior had 15 points and 10 assists. She added three rebounds and a pair of blocks. All five of her field goals came from three as she went 5-7 from deep. Kayla Johnson and Ellen Silva finished with 13 and 12 points. 

The Nanooks stay at home next week as they welcome Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene to Fairbanks.

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