FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks handed the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks their first GNAC loss of the season on Saturday afternoon, defeating NNU 71-62 to move to 8-7, 4-2 GNAC on the season.

How it Happened
Alaska held an early 6-5 lead 3:18 into the game after a Griffin Effenberger three put the 'Nooks in front. The Nighthawks retook the lead on a Yaru Harvey layup before NNU's Kye Dickson converted a pair of three-point plays on consecutive possessions for the visitors, helping them on an 8-2 run to establish a 13-8 advantage. Isaiah Saams-Hoy cut the lead to three with a jumper, but five points in two possessions gave NNU an eight-point lead. Ketan Sidhu sparked a 9-0 run for the Nanooks with a three-pointer at the 12:24 mark, and Elyon Zevenbergen contributed with two straight layups, putting Alaska ahead 19-18. The Nighthawks would retake the lead, and despite 10 points from Zevenbergen in the final 6:04 of the half, the Nanooks trailed 38-35 entering the break.

Chris Lee started the scoring nearly two and a half minutes into the second, knocking down a fastbreak layup off a Sidhu steal. The 'Nooks got three-pointers from Zevenbergen, Lee and Jalai O'Keith on three straight possessions but still only held a one-point advantage, which was lost after a Dickson jumper put the Nighthawks in front 47-46. NNU stretched its lead to 60-55 with 4:58 remaining in the contest, but Lee would score the next 10 points, flipping the script and giving Alaska a five-point advantage with 1:54 left. Saams-Hoy added to the lead after sinking a fastbreak layup off his own steal, and Sidhu scored the final four points for the Nanooks, helping them see out the 71-62 victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Chris Lee and Elyon Zevenbergen tied for the team lead with 20 points. Lee finished with three assists, two rebounds and a steal, while Zevenbergen tied for the team lead with nine rebounds and went 8-of-12 from the floor and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
• Isaiah Saams-Hoy dished out a squad-leading six assists while also finishing in double-figure scoring with 14 points. He went 6-of-12 from the floor.
• Saams-Hoy also led the team in steals with three and blocks with six and finished with eight boards.
• Jalai O'Keith tied Zevenbergen for the team lead in rebounds with nine.
• Alaska shot 45.8% from the floor and 40.9% from deep during the contest, shooting 46.2% from three in the second half. Meanwhile, they held NNU to shooting totals of 34.4% and 28% for the game.
• The Nanooks led in points off turnovers (11-9), points in the paint (32-28) and fastbreak points (12-5).

What's to Come
The Nanooks are on the road for a game against Alaska Anchorage next week on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m.

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