FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team began its regular season on Friday evening by falling to the University of Hawaii at Hilo 98-76.

How it Happened
The 'Nooks trailed 5-4 in the opening minutes of the contest, with Chozen Horn-Young hitting a floater to put Alaska behind by one at the 6:54 mark. However, the Vulcans responded with a 9-1 run over the next three and a half minutes to build a 14-5 advantage. Tamai Mancuso ended the run with a three. After another three from Mancuso and a pair of Ashlyn Waggoner baskets trimmed the deficit over the remainder of the period, the Nanooks entered the second quarter trailing 25-19.

Waggoner added another layup to start the second, and Anna Nevison knocked down a jumper to pull the Nanooks to within two. However, a Vulcan's layup on the following possession kick-started a run of six straight points for the visitors to put Alaska in an eight-point hole. Back-to-back threes from Emily Freeman and Pearle Green helped the 'Nooks make it a one-possession game, and Mancuso brought them back to within three after she connected on a jumper. However, the Nanooks did not make a shot from the floor until Ashlyn Waggoner converted a three-point play three minutes later. Alaska did the rest of its scoring in the quarter from the free throw line and entered the halftime break trailing 48-38.

The Nanooks recorded three field goals in the third, with Waggoner and Horn-Young hitting layups and Green draining a shot from deep, and the 'Nooks found themselves down 72-50 entering the final 10 minutes of play. The Nanooks matched the Vulcans in the fourth, as both teams posted 26 points, but the 'Nooks fell 98-76.

Inside the Numbers

• Ashlyn Waggoner led all Alaska scorers with 20 points on the evening, going 6-11 from the field and converting eight of her 10 free throws. She added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
• Tamai Mancuso and Chozen Horn-Young were the other two Nanooks to finish with double-digit points, posting 14 and 12, respectively. Horn-Young also led the team with seven rebounds.
• The Nanooks shot 23-68 (33.8%) from the field, 8-34 (23.5%) from three and converted 22-31 (71%) free throw attempts.
• The 'Nooks were out-rebounded 44-40.
• Both teams had 27 points off turnovers, and the Nanooks held the scoring advantage off the bench 39-31. However, the Vulcans led in points in the paint (46-26), fastbreak points (28-15) and second chance points (16-3).

What's Next
The 'Nooks return to the court on Sunday following the neutral site matchup between Hawaii Hilo and The Master's tomorrow afternoon. They take on The Master's Mustangs on Sunday at 3 p.m., concluding the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational.

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