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Women edge GNAC leaders in thriller

Women's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Women edge GNAC leaders in thriller

ANCHORAGE – Nicci Miller scored 21 points, including the game-winning jumper with 3.3 seconds left, as the Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team knocked off league-leading Western Washington, 71-69, in a battle of nationally ranked teams Thursday.

The Seawolves (17-3, 7-2 GNAC) also got 13 points and four rebounds from sophomore center Hanna Johansson as they handed WWU its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss in 11 outings.

The Vikings (19-3, 10-1) were led by 22 points and five assists from junior guard Amanda Dunbar, but the sharpshooter scored just six of her points after halftime as UAA made it comeback.

UAA came in ranked No. 17 nationally and No. 4 in the NCAA Div. II West Region, while WWU entered at No. 20 and No. 2, respectively. After beating UAA 78-58 in Bellingham last month, the Vikings appeared to be the better team again in the early going, jumping to a 29-17 lead with 3:44 left in the first half.

A jump shot by Miller and a three-pointer by senior guard Leah Stepovich rallied UAA to within 35-29 at the break, however, and the game turned into a knock-down, drag-out affair in the second half.

Trailing 57-53, junior forward Kelsie Gourdin hit a pair of free throws and Stepovich nailed a corner trey to give UAA its first lead of the night with 6 minutes to play.

Back-to-back three-pointer by Dunbar (6-10 3FG) and Willow Cabe restored the Vikings to a 65-62 advantage before the Seawolves forged another tied on Tamar Gruwell's three-pointer with 2:16 left.

Knotted at 69, Miller was called for traveling and WWU's Ashley Fenimore (18 points, 4-7 3FG) missed a three-pointer, giving UAA the ball with 52 seconds showing. Johansson's attempt with the shot clock winding down went wide, but the ball was tipped out of bounds, giving UAA possession with under 30 seconds.

After a timeout, WWU nearly stole a sideline inbounds pass with 10 seconds left, but Miller picked up the loose ball and drove through a phalanx of Viking defenders, kissing a 6-foot jumper off the glass and sending up a roar for the 491 fans at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

WWU point guard Megan Pinske got off one last shot for the visitors, with her half-court heave bouncing off the left side of the rim at the buzzer.

Miller shot 7 of 11 from the field and 7 of 7 at the free-throw line to earn her highest career point total in a GNAC game. It was the Colorado native's fourth 20-plus outing of the season, but the first time she had reached that scoring mark since Dec. 3 against Nyack.

Miller also had three of UAA's 10 steals, and Gourdin accounted for a team-high four assists. Junior point guard Kaitlin McBride – who played at WWU as a freshman – got her second career start and finished with four points, three steals and an emphatic block in the first half.

UAA returns to the WFSC on Saturday when it hosts a 5:15 p.m. tip against Central Washington (6-14, 3-7).


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Players Mentioned

Kelsie Gourdin

#RS Kelsie Gourdin

F
5' 10"
Junior
Tamar Gruwell

#14 Tamar Gruwell

G
5' 8"
Junior
Hanna Johansson

#50 Hanna Johansson

F
6' 2"
Freshman
Nicci Miller

#0 Nicci Miller

F
5' 10"
Junior
Leah Stepovich

#RS Leah Stepovich

G
5' 7"
Senior
Kaitlin McBride

#21 Kaitlin McBride

G
5' 7"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kelsie Gourdin

#RS Kelsie Gourdin

5' 10"
Junior
F
Tamar Gruwell

#14 Tamar Gruwell

5' 8"
Junior
G
Hanna Johansson

#50 Hanna Johansson

6' 2"
Freshman
F
Nicci Miller

#0 Nicci Miller

5' 10"
Junior
F
Leah Stepovich

#RS Leah Stepovich

5' 7"
Senior
G
Kaitlin McBride

#21 Kaitlin McBride

5' 7"
Junior
G