ANCHORAGE (Dec. 19) - Freshman Rebecca Kielpinski and senior Kelsey Larsen both put up double-doubles to help the UAA women's basketball team to its fourth straight win, 64-59 over Eastern New Mexico on Monday at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Kielpinski had 26 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks for the Seawolves (6-2), while Larsen finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Center Tiana Bryant led ENMU (6-3) with 22 points.
The nip-and-tuck affair featured eight ties and 19 lead changes as neither team held more than a 6-point advantage throughout. UAA trailed 32-31 at halftime and seemed to take control early in the second with a quick 5-0 run. However, the Zias responded with a 10-0 streak of their own to go up 42-36 with 15 minutes remaining.
Seawolf freshman Tristan Burnett (9 points, 4 assists, 2 steals in 40 minutes) started the home team's comeback with a three-pointer on the next possession, and Kielpinski followed with a layup, with junior guard Mari Riser assisting on both buckets.
Another pair of lead changes found ENMU up 52-51 before freshman Sarah Jones sparked the Seawolves' final surge with a conventional three-point play. Kielpinski converted back-to-back layups to keep the Zias at bay, and then made the key play of the game with a left-handed lay-in at the 29-second mark to make it 60-56.
After a pair of Kim Brady free throws, Bryant connected on a fade-away three-pointer to slice it to 62-59 with seven seconds to go. But the Seawolves executed their inbounds play perfectly and got the ball to Kielpinski, who made the clinching free throws.
Kielpinski, playing on her 19th birthday, finished 12-of-19 shooting on the evening after missing her first four attempts. The 26-point, 10-rebound showing was her third double-double.
Riser finished with a personal-best eight rebounds and had four of her five assists in the second half. Starting point guard Limor Pelleg notched seven points, six assists and zero turnovers, despite playing only 21 minutes before fouling out.
UAA and ENMU meet for a rematch Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. AST at the WFSC. The game is UAA's final non-league affair of the season before opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against Humboldt State on Dec. 29, also at home.
