FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team (0-20, 0-12 GNAC) could not overcome a difficult second quarter vs. the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, in which they were outscored 21-12, and eventually fell to their in-state rivals, 79-69, on Saturday afternoon.

How it Happened
Pearle Green got things going out of the gate, hitting a layup 19 seconds into the contest to give the Nanooks their first points of the afternoon and an early 2-0 lead. The Seawolves would answer with seven unanswered points, but the Nanooks kept battling, using a layup by Tamai Mancuso and threes from Green and Emily Freeman to make it a two-point game. Green added another triple a minute and a half later, which put the 'Nooks ahead 13-12 at the midway point of the first quarter. UAA's Mahaila Harrison connected from deep to put the Seawolves back in front, and despite receiving two more threes from Mancuso and Freeman, the Nanooks ended the first 10 minutes down 26-23.

After a first quarter in which the Nanooks made half their field goal attempts, they went just 4-17 from the field in the second, with Freeman and Mancuso providing most of the offense in the quarter by scoring five points each, and Alaska entered the break trailing 47-35.

The Seawolves extended their lead to 17 in the opening 1:30 of the third before Mancuso got things going for the Nanooks, hitting back-to-back threes and scoring 10-straight Nanooks points to cut the deficit down to eight. Chozen Horn-Young added a three and a fastbreak layup before Desiree Redfox and Green chipped in with layups, but the Blue and Gold still trailed by 10 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Mancuso once again provided the offense for the Nanooks to start the fourth, with the guard scoring Alaska's first eight points of the period on two threes and a layup. That run from Mancuso made it a seven-point game with 7:17 left, but the Nanooks could not get any closer for the remainder of the contest, eventually falling by 10.

Inside the Numbers

• Tamai Mancuso led the squad with a season-high 30 points, going 10-18 from the field, 6-10 from three and 4-5 from the free throw line. She added three rebounds and three assists.
• Emily Freeman followed with 14 points, knocking down four of her eight attempts from beyond the arc. She tied for the team lead with four assists and grabbed four rebounds.
• Pearle Green was the final Nanook to finish in double-figures, posting 12 points. She led the team with five steals while collecting four assists and two rebounds.
• The Nanooks shot 25-60 (41.7%) from the field and 13-28 (46.4%) from three while making six of seven free throws.
• The Nanooks grabbed 34 rebounds during the contest, seven of which were offensive, while UAA finished with 43 rebounds (15 offensive). The Nanooks got 10 second-change points, while the Seawolves scored 12 points on their extended possessions.
• Alaska dished 20 assists to UAA's 15.
• The Nanooks were outscored in the paint 34-20.

What's Next
The Nanooks remain in Fairbanks next week for two more contests, taking on Simon Fraser on Thursday, Feb. 12, and Western Washington on Saturday, Feb. 14.

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