#10 Women fend off Crusaders, 79-71

NAMPA, Idaho – Senior Hanna Johansson had 21 points and 11 rebounds in a record-setting effort Saturday to lead the 10th-ranked Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team to a 79-71 victory over host Northwest Nazarene at the Johnson Sports Complex.

The Seawolves (12-2, 3-0 GNAC) also got 17 points and four steals from junior guard Haley Holmstead as they survived a late Crusader run to post their eighth straight victory and remain unbeaten in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Crusaders (8-4, 2-2) were led by a game-high 22 points from forward Briaunna King, plus 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals from guard Alli Dzhidzhiyeshvili but still suffered their seventh consecutive loss to UAA.

Johansson, a 6-2 center, continued her stellar play with her second straight double, powered by a school-record 100 percent (8 of 8) shooting effort from the floor. The Swede also tied her career-high with seven assists and added three steals and two blocks.

Junior forward Alysa Horn was the third Seawolf in double figures with 10 points, including the biggest shot of the game – a corner three-pointer with 56 seconds left that extended UAA's lead to 77-71. Prior to that, the Crusaders had sliced a 17-point deficit – 64-47 with 9 minutes to play – to a one-possession game on three separate occasions.

Johansson and Holmstead had the answer each time the game got close, however, and freshman Gritt Ryder stole the ball with 31 seconds left to clinch the win.

The Seawolves shot over 50 percent (29 of 55, .527) for the fourth time in five games and outrebounded their hosts 39-27.

Now with three GNAC road wins already under its belt, UAA returns to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex next week for its league home openers against Montana State Billings (Thur., Jan. 5) and Seattle Pacific. Both games tip at 7 p.m. AST.

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Players Mentioned

#RS Alysa Horn: F; 5' 11"; Freshman

#50 Hanna Johansson: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

#5 Haley Holmstead: G; 5' 8"; Junior

#11 Gritt Ryder: G; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#RS Alysa Horn
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: F

#50 Hanna Johansson
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F

#5 Haley Holmstead
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

#11 Gritt Ryder
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G