Alaska Nanooks Women’s Basketball Faces Tough Loss in Opening Game
SALT LAKE CITY – The Alaska Nanooks women’s basketball team started the Westminster Classic with a challenging match against the Westminster Griffins, losing 99-74.
Game Highlights
The game began with the Nanooks trailing early at 8-3. Thanks to a three-pointer from Emily Freeman, they quickly tied the score at 10. Freeman then pushed the team ahead with a layup, making it 19-18. However, Westminster responded with a three-pointer and ended the first quarter strong, leading 25-21.
In the second quarter, a couple of free throws from Ashlyn Waggoner narrowed the gap to two points. But Westminster surged ahead with a 12-4 run, taking a solid 37-27 lead. Despite efforts from Marney Rees and Desiree Redfox to keep the game close, the Nanooks went into halftime down 49-41.
The third quarter saw the Nanooks trying to rally, with two three-pointers by Tamai Mancuso and individual contributions from Freeman and Alycia Shelley. Still, they found themselves trailing 73-58 as they entered the final quarter.
In the fourth, Mancuso and Waggoner scored early, but it was Shelley who led the charge, knocking down seven of the last 11 points for the team. Unfortunately, the Nanooks couldn’t close the gap and lost to the Griffins.
Key Player Performances
- Tamai Mancuso led the team with 17 points, adding one assist and one steal.
- Emily Freeman followed closely with 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
- Ashlyn Waggoner chipped in 13 points and shared the team rebounding lead, grabbing four.
- Alycia Shelley finished with 11 points, two assists, and a steal.
- Waggoner, Amelia Brady, and Desiree Redfox each contributed with four rebounds.
The team shot 25 out of 64 from the field, making 7 of 20 three-point attempts, and 17 out of 25 free throws.
Looking Ahead
The Nanooks will remain in Salt Lake City for their next game against No. 21 Colorado Mesa University tomorrow at 1 p.m. AKST.
Recent trends show that teams often grow stronger after tough losses, as players regroup and refocus. Based on past seasons, many teams in similar situations have gone on to improve significantly during their next matches. Fans are hopeful this will be the case for the Nanooks.
For those interested in player updates and more team information, you can follow them on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @NanooksWBB.
For more detailed stats and analysis, check out resources like NCAA Women’s Basketball Stats.
