NNU fends off women's basketball 59-50
January 22, 2013
Jamie Foland
907-474-6807
Megan Hingston posted a double-double and Northwest Nazarene dominated the glass as it was able to hold off Alaska 59-50 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball on Saturday night at the Patty Center.
Hingston recorded game-highs of 14 points, 12 rebounds and six steals to lead the Crusaders (13-2, 5-2 GNAC) to their seventh consecutive win while Chelsie Luke added 11 points and seven rebounds. Heather Adams and Veronika Skokankova each contributed eight points.
NNU shot 34 percent (21-61 FG) from the floor while holding the Nanooks (2-13, 0-7 GNAC) to 31 percent (20-64 FG). The Crusaders handedly controlled the boards 51-36 but both teams were solid from the line as Alaska hit 83 percent (10-12 FT) of its shots and NNU was 74 percent (14-19 FT) from the stripe.
The 'Nooks were paced by sophomore guard Benissa Bulaya (Sacramento, Calif./Business administration), who had 12 points while sophomore guard Kelly Logue (Fair Oaks, Calif./Communication) had 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-best six steals.
Senior guard Taylor Altenburg (Elko, Nev./Criminal justice) matched Logue with a career-best six steals of her own while junior center Jacqueline Bartleson (Santa Fe, N.M./Elementary education) contributed nine points and four steals. Alaska outscored Nazarene 38-18 in the paint and 8-2 in transition.
The Nanooks opened the game with the early lead and took a 14-7 advantage with 13:38 left in the first. The Crusaders answered with a 16-2 run over in just over six minutes to grab a 23-16 lead with 7:16 to go in the half. Alaska got back to within three twice but NNU took a 29-22 lead into the locker room.
The teams went bucket-for-bucket for much of the second half, which didn't help in Alaska's cause for a comeback. NNU led 37-28 but five in a row for the Nanooks trimmed their deficit to 37-34 with 12 minutes to play. NNU built the lead back to seven, but again, Alaska chipped away and used an 11-2 run over 3:25 to square the game at 45-45 with 5:15 to play.
NNU answered back with a 7-0 run to lead 52-45 with two to go and Alaska couldn't get closer than four down the stretch as the visitors hit timely free throws to seal the win.
Alaska hits the road next week for a pair of road games as it prepares for two weeks away from the Patty Center. On Thursday, the Nanooks face Saint Martin's (10-7, 3-4 GNAC), followed by a Saturday contest at Western Oregon (6-11, 1-6 GNAC). Both games are set for 6 p.m. (AKST) starts.
The Nanooks return home next Feb. 7 when they take on Montana State Billings.