Tuesday, November 19, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – After being picked to finish last in the 2013-14 Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll, Alaska Fairbanks has begun its season 4-0 for the first time since the school’s 2000-01 campaign.

Joining the Nanooks at the top of the early-season standings is Seattle Pacific, which is also 4-0 on the young season after a strong showing at its own Sodexo Tip-Off Classic tournament last weekend. The Falcons moved into the top-25 in the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll, checking in at No. 23. 

First-year head coach Ryan Bragdon has also enjoyed success early on at Northwest Nazarene, as the Crusaders are off to a strong 3-0 start. 

Preseason play continues with action everyday this week as nine GNAC teams are slated for games. Number 12 Western Washington (1-1) and SPU will head to Azusa this weekend for the Azusa West Region Crossover Classic. The two-day affair will slate the GNAC rivals against UC San Diego and Azusa Pacific, with games on Friday and Saturday.

UAF looks to remain undefeated this season by closing out its trip to Hawaii with a victory on Tuesday, as the Nanooks will face the University of Hawaii-Hilo for the second consecutive day. Alaska Anchorage (2-0) will remain amongst the islands until Thursday, as it is set for a matchup against BYU-Hawaii on Tuesday and another at Chaminade University on Thursday.

Montana State Billings (2-2) gets back to work this week with a tall challenge against Division I Montana State in an exhibition game Wednesday. Saint Martin’s (1-1) is set to host a pair of games after a week off, as the Saints welcome Cal Baptist and Northwest to Lacey, Wash., this weekend. 

Megan Hingston, who is averaging 19 points per contest, looks to help keep the Crusaders undefeated as NNU hosts Montana Western in Nampa on Saturday at noon.

Simon Fraser (1-1) will play four games against California schools in a six-day span, beginning with back-to-back clashes with San Francisco State this weekend in Burnaby, BC. The Clan pick up action again next week, welcoming the Academy of Art for a two-game set on Nov. 26 and 27 leading up to Thanksgiving.

The Nanooks are the only team slated to play on Thanksgiving Day, as UAF kicks off their North Star Invitational tournament with a game against Dominican. After starting its season 1-1 last week, Central Washington will play one more game before Thanksgiving, hosting Quest this Saturday in Ellensburg. Western Oregon (0-3) prepares to host the WOU Capital City Classic, set to begin the day after Thanksgiving and run through Nov. 30 in Monmouth.