SEATTLE, Wash. - The Nanooks picked up their first GNAC win of the season on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Seattle Pacific Falcons 88-82. With the win, Alaska improves to 6-11, 1-8 GNAC on the season.

How it Happened
Alaska jumped out to an early 11-6 lead, with Destiny Reimers notching eight points in the opening 3:54. The Nanooks maintained their lead despite two straight Falcons buckets cutting the advantage to one. After both sides converted free throws, Emily Freeman knocked down a three to kickstart a 9-0 run for the Blue & Gold. This would help them take a 25-18 lead going into the second quarter.

Reimers started the scoring in the second with two straight baskets, giving the 'Nooks the double-digit advantage. Miranda Lomax added to the scoring with a jumper and three, and Reimers followed with a turnaround jumper to put the Nanooks up 36-25 and force an SPU timeout with 6:26 left in the period. Reimers and Lomax continued scoring for the 'Nooks out of the break with two more buckets, putting them up by 12. However, Seattle Pacific ended the quarter on a 14-2 run, tying the game at 43 entering the halftime break.

SPU added to their run to start the third, scoring the first six points of the quarter to take its first lead of the game. Reimers ended the run with a layup, which sparked a 7-0 run for the 'Nooks to recapture the lead. A Falcons free throw tied the game again, and the two sides traded threes on consecutive possessions, with Freeman countering a Grace Turley triple to tie the game at 53. The Blue & Gold followed that up by scoring the next eight points unanswered, closing out the quarter in front 61-53.

The Falcons began the third with five straight points, cutting Alaska's advantage to 61-58 before Taylor Pilot posted five consecutive points on her own, knocking down a jumper and converting a three-point play to put the Nanooks back up by eight. A Lomax triple later in the quarter helped build their lead to nine with 6:06 remaining. However, the Falcons outscored the Nanooks 9-4 over the next 2:47, making it a 73-69 game at the 3:19 mark. Tristian Martin connected on a three to put the Nanooks in front by seven, and Reimers followed up with a layup, helping them increase their cushion to nine points. They would hold on to that lead, seeing the game out and taking the 88-82 victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Destiny Reimers posted 28 points in the game, going 13-28 from the floor. She secured the double-double by grabbing 10 boards in the win and tied for the team lead with four blocks.
• Miranda Lomax knocked down five of her nine attempts from the floor, going 4-5 from deep to finish with 16 points.
• Taylor Pilot nearly finished with a triple-double, posting 13 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. She also forced a team-high three steals.
• Emily Freeman and Jayda Van Dyke were the other Nanooks to finish in double-figure scoring. Freeman knocked down three of six shots from beyond the arc, helping her finish with 10 points, while Van Dyke posted 11 points.
• Alaska shot 45.2% from the floor and 42.9% from three in the win.

What's to Come
The Nanooks return to Fairbanks for two games next week, starting with a Thursday afternoon matchup against Northwest Nazarene and concluding the homestand with a noon tipoff against Central Washington on Saturday.

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