Women's basketball begins four-game road trip at SMU, WOU
January 24, 2013
Jamie Foland
907-474-6807
Searching for First GNAC Win
The Nanooks hit the road for their final two games in the first half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference season when they visit Saint Martin's on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday. Live stats and live video will be available for both games.
Nanooks at a Glance
Alaska currently sits 2-13 on the season with a 0-7 mark in GNAC play entering this week's road trip. Saturday's loss to Northwest Nazarene extended Alaska's losing skid to six games and its GNAC losing streak to 16 straight. The last GNAC win for the Nanooks was back on Jan. 21, 2012, when they downed Western Oregon 69-68 at home. Taylor Altenburg leads the team with 10.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while Jacqueline Lovato scored 7.9 points to go with 5.2 rebounds per outing. Benissa Bulaya also contributed 7.5 points and 2.7 assists per contest. Alaska scores 63.9 points per game while allowing its opponents to average 74.1 points per game.
Alaska Falls to Central, NNU at Home
Central Washington ended Thursday's game on a 25-5 run to win 69-49 against Alaska. Jessica VanDyke scored 21 points while Jasmine Parker had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds. Two nights later, a dominating rebounding performance by Northwest Nazarene allowed for a 59-50 victory against Alaska. Megan Hingston led the way with 14 points, 12 rebounds and six steals for NNU. Benissa Bulaya paced the Nanooks with 11.5 points per game for the week.
How We Rank in the GNAC
Taylor Altenburg ranks 18th in the league in scoring and 13th in rebounding. Benissa Bulaya is fourth in shooting percentage (.518), tied for fourth in steals (2.5) and tied for 12th in assists (2.7). Kelly Logue is tied for sixth in steals (2.3) and Altenburg is 10th in the same category (2.1) while she also places 10th in blocks (0.8) and 14th in shooting (.426). Jacqueline Lovato is also 12th in three pointers per game (1.7).
Scouting the Saints
Saint Martin's has won seven of its last 10 and was named GNAC Team of the Week Monday as it brings in a 10-7 overall record and 3-4 mark in league play to Thursday night's contest. Last week, SMU downed its travel partner, Western Oregon, 54-47. The Saints average 56.3 points per game while allowing their foes to score 60.5 per game. Chelsea Haskey is 10th in the GNAC with 14.1 points per game and ninth with 6.9 rebounds per game. Taylor MacKenzie is 11th in rebounding (6.3) while Ciara Pedroni is seventh in blocks (0.9).
Scouting the Wolves
Western Oregon has lost three in a row and seven of eight as it comes into the week 6-11 on the season and 1-6 in GNAC play. The Wolves are coming off a 54-47 defeat to their travel partner, Saint Martin's. WOU scored 62.1 points per game and allows its opponents to average 67.0 points per outing. Mariah Durian and Lorrie Clifford lead the team with 13.2 and 12.4 points per game, respectively. Dana Goularte is third in the GNAC in blocks (1.4), seventh in the GNAC in rebounds (7.1) and eighth in steals (2.3) while Durian is second in free throw percentage (.942). Chantel Divilbiss is sixth in three-point shooting (.412) and Durian also cracks the top 10 in the same category (.377).
Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball
Game 16 at Saint Martin's (10-7, 3-4 GNAC)
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 | 6 p.m. | Marcus Pavilion
Live Stats Live Video
Game 17 at Western Oregon (6-11, 1-6 GNAC)
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 | 6 p.m. | New PE Building
Live Stats Live Video