Nanooks host seventh North Star Invitational

Submitted by Jamie Schanback
Phone: 907-474-6807
11/26/08

The seventh annual Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational women’s basketball tournament kicks off Thanksgiving Day at the Patty Center and features four teams from four different time zones.

Thursday’s first game tips off at 5:30 p.m. and matches Holy Family University and UC San Diego, two teams that participated in the NCAA tournament last year. Hailing from Philadelphia, Holy Family was 32-1 last season, setting a school record for wins. The Tigers currently have a record of 3-1 and are ranked No. 10 in the country. They will face UC San Diego who is under the direction of second-year head coach, Charity Elliot. Elliot guided her team to a mark of 25-10 last year and has the Tritons off to a 2-1 start this year.

In the nightcap, the Nanooks take on the Hawaii-Pacific Sea Warriors at 8 p.m. The Blue and Gold, with an overall record of 1-3, will be looking to bounce back from a 0-3 road trip in California. The three-year-old women’s basketball program at Hawaii-Pacific recorded its first nonconference win in school history last week when the Sea Warriors defeated Whitworth.

Friday and Saturday’s games will get started in the afternoon. Friday’s first game tips at 2 p.m. and has UC San Diego take on Hawaii-Pacific. Alaska’s game will get underway at approximately 4:30 p.m. as the Nanooks square off against Holy Family. Saturday’s games will see Holy Family and Hawaii Pacific start at 2 p.m., and Alaska vs. UC San Diego at 4:30 p.m.

For ticket information, log onto the tournament Web site.