Friday, January 25, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Northwest Nazarene, coming off a GNAC-record rebounding performance, hosts nationally fifth-ranked Western Washington in a GNAC women's basketball contest Saturday night at the Johnson Sports Center in Nampa. 

The contest is one of five  games on Saturday's GNAC schedule.  Elsewhere, seventh-ranked Simon Fraser (13-3, 6-2) visits Central Washington (8-8, 3-5), Alaska Anchorage (9-7, 3-5) plays at Saint Martin's (11-7, 4-4), Seattle Pacific (10-6, 4-4) journeys to Billings to take on Montana State Billings (11-5, 5-3) and  Alaska Fairbanks (2-14, 0-8) battles Western Oregon (6-12, 1-7) at Monmouth.

The SFU/CWU and SPU/MSUB games tip-off at 5:15 p.m.; the other three begin at 7 p.m.

Northwest Nazarene (14-2, 6-2) takes a nine-game win streak into Saturday's contest.  The Vikings (14-2, 8-0), meanwhile, bring an eight-game win streak and a two-game lead in the conference race over NNU and SFU into the contest.

Northwest Nazarene set a GNAC record with 32 offensive rebounds in upsetting Simon Fraser 60-59 Thursday.  The Crusaders broke the old GNAC team record for a conference game of 29 offensive rebounds set by Central Washington against Western Oregon on Jan. 6, 2005.

Megan Hingston led NNU's record performance with 20 points and 18 rebounds, including nine off the offensive glass. Chelsie Luke, meanwhile, added 12 points and 10 rebounds, five of them on offense.

The Crusaders, who shot just 29.1 percent from the floor (23-79), finished the contest with an overall 56-39 rebounding advantage over the Clan, despite a 19-rebound effort by Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe.  Raincock-Ekunwe also had 17 points. Kristina Collins had 10 points and six assists.

"It was a great team effort on the boards and both Megan (Hingston) and Chelsie (Luke) had some of the best rebounds I've ever seen from an effort standpoint, battling against the best rebounder in the country in Raincock-Ekunwe," NNU head coach Kelli Lindley said.

Western Washington kept its win streak alive with a 79-73 come-from-behind win over Central Washington Thursday at Nicholson Pavilion.

Center Brit Harris scored a career-high 28 points and guard Katie Colard provided the go-ahead points with 1:06 to play as WWU overcame a 73-69 deficit with less than three minutes left.

A free throw by reserve Jenni White and a layin by Harris cut the margin to one, and Colard then hit a jumper and was fouled. She converted the free throw, giving WWU a 75-73 lead. Guard Corinn Waltrip then made four free throws in the final 30 seconds for the final margin. 

The Vikings, who have won 18 of their last 19 against CWU, got 16 points and 10 assists from Trishi Williams and 10 points from Waltrip in the win.  Jessica VanDyke led CWU with 22 points.

Saint Martin's improved to 7-2 in its last nine games defeating Alaska Fairbanks 74-57  at Lacey as Angela Gelhar came off the bench to score 20 points, cashing in on four of six three-pointers.  Chelsea Haskey had 16 points and Jordyn Richardson made four of seven treys and scored 15.  Overall, the Saints converted on eight of 15 treys.

Alaska Anchorage got 17 points from Alysa Horn, 15 from Alli Madison, 13 from Kylie Burns and 11 from Jenna Buchanan in a 63-54 road win at Western Oregon.  The Wolves were led by Melissa Fowler with 14 points.