Jan. 27, 2015
Contact: Nathan Webber
(503)305-8756/[email protected]
Seawolves Leads at Midway Point as 5 Teams Are Within 2 Games
PORTLAND, Ore. – No. 3 Alaska Anchorage controls its
destiny in the GNAC at the halfway point of the season
while the nine other teams push to the end for the best
seeding in the GNAC tournament.
The Seawolves are two games up on everyone else in
the conference and have won 18 total games already,
almost reaching the 19 wins the team had all of last
year.
If the Seawolves win the rest of their games before the
GNAC tournament, they would tie for the best
conference record in GNAC history and be the fourth
UAA team to have at least 27 wins in a season.
Meanwhile, three GNAC teams, SPU, WWU and SFU,
are tied in second with 6-3 records.
No. 22 Seattle Pacific is coming off a down week, losing
only its second and third games of the season. Western
Washington has had more consistent play as of late,
having won six of its last seven. Simon Fraser continues
to lead the conference in made three-pointers while
winning four of its last six.
Central Washington pulled out an overtime win against
NNU to stay close to the top of the pack, only one game
out of second place. Alaska currently would hold the
sixth, and final, spot at the GNAC tournament if the
season ended today.
Saint Martin’s won two big games last week over MSUB
and Seattle Pacific to pull within one game of Alaska.
The Yellowjackets also picked up a win on a last second
layup from senior Kayleen Goggins over Western
Oregon Saturday on ROOT SPORTS.
Western Oregon and Northwest Nazarene have some
work to do, but have the potential to come back and
insert themselves in the tournament race. Both have
quality wins on their resume, the Wolves having
defeated Seattle Pacific and NNU handing UAA its only
loss of the season the first part of the year.
Only the top six teams will be traveling to the GNAC
tournament, hosted by MSUB in Billings, Mont. March
4-7, where the winner receives an automatic berth to
the NCAA tournament.
Standings and Schedule
GNAC
Team
#3 Alaska Anchorage
#22 Seattle Pacific
Western Washington
Simon Fraser
Central Washington
Alaska
MSU Billings
Saint Martin’s
Western Oregon
Northwest Nazarene
Overall
W
8
6
6
6
5
4
3
3
2
2
W
L
18 1
14 3
12 6
10 7
10 7
12 7
11 8
6 11
5 12
4 14
L
1
3
3
3
4
5
6
6
7
7
UPCOMING GAMES
THURSDAY, JAN. 29
Alaska at Northwest Nazarene, 6 p.m.
Western Washington at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Central Washington, 7 p.m.
Simon Fraser at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 31
Alaska Anchorage at Northwest Nazarene, 5:15 p.m.
Western Oregon at Saint Martin’s, 5:15 p.m.
Simon Fraser at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.
Alaska at Central Washington, 7 p.m.
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m.
Around the GNAC
Three GNAC games were decided by two points on
Saturday. MSUB edged WOU on a last second shot, Saint
Martin’s held on for the two point win over SPU and Central
came back from a five point deficit in the final minutes of
overtime to beat NNU.
For the ninth time in the last 10 seasons, at least seven
GNAC teams will have recorded 10 wins.
UAA will face Northwest Nazarene in Nampa on Saturday.
The Crusaders beat the Seawolves on their home floor Jan.
1 for UAA’s only loss of the season so far.
Alaska Anchorage’s KeKe Wright was selected as the GNAC
Player of the Week. She scored 37 points and pulled in 18
rebounds (12 offensive) in two wins over WWU and SFU to
extend the Seawolves win streak to six games.
6