FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks men's basketball team grabbed a big three-point win over Simon Fraser on Saturday, Feb. 17 to move to 7-15, 5-9 GNAC. 

The loss drops Simon Fraser to 6-20, 4-11 GNAC.

In the first, the Nanooks pulled ahead by six at 40-34 going to the halftime break. Both sides had solid shooting performances in the opening 20 minutes, shooting over 50% from the floor with SFU posting a 57.6% clip and Alaska shooting 51.6% Eight made three's played the difference in the score for the Nanooks. In the second, SFU outshot the Nanooks and won the half by three but Alaska earned the hard-fought victory after 40 minutes. 

Off the tip, SFU got the scoring started. Nick Hopkins responded with a layup to get the 'Nooks on the board. The two sides traded buckets and leads until SFU posted a three-point play to make it 9-6 off the tie. A Trey Anderson jumper pulled Alaska within one before Jaycson Bereal, Jr. made it 10-9 Alaska. With each punch thrown by SFU, the Nanooks responded. After falling behind by three, Abdullahi Mohamed connected from deep to tie the game at 13-13. Trading baskets continued until the Red Leafs made it a four-point game at the 8:13 mark. That lead grew to six before the Nanooks chipped away, eventually taking a two-point lead at the 2:12 mark on a Demarcus Hall-Scriven three, his second in a row. He followed up with a third, making it 38-34 Nanooks. 

Down the stretch of the first, Bereal found the bucket on the drive again, making it 40-34 going to the break. 

Out of the half, Hopkins grew the lead to eight. SFU responded with back-to-back buckets, cutting the lead to three. After growing their lead to nine, the Nanooks cracked through to double-digits at the 13:10 mark on a Bereal jumper, making it 54-43. They would maintain a steady lead until the final 10 minutes when Simon Fraser pulled within three on an Irish Coquia three. They quickly responded with another three to tie the game and eventually take the lead at 63-61. The final six minutes was a whole new ballgame. Alaska ran out to a lead, led by a three from Nick Hopkins, making it a five-point lead; SFU chipped away and pulled within one with 1:07 left. 

Four free throws from Abdullahi Mohamed secured the victory as he made four free throws in the final 10 seconds, fending off the rallying Red Leafs. 

Mohamed led all scorers with 23 while grabbing five rebounds and four assists. He went 6-6 from the line. Demarcus Hall-Scriven ended with 16 points on 4-5 shooting from deep while grabbing nine boards and dishing a team-high five assists. Trey Anderson followed with 12 and Nick Hopkins finished with 10. 

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