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#11 UAA visits W. Oregon, St. Martin's

Women's Basketball UAA Media Relations

#14 Seawolves stifle Saints, 64-48

ANCHORAGE – Alysa Horn scored 21 points and 14th-ranked Alaska Anchorage used another stifling defensive effort Thursday to earn a 64-48 women's basketball victory over Saint Martin's at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The Seawolves (20-5, 11-3 GNAC) also got 10 points apiece from Nikki Aden and Hanna Johansson as they won their fifth straight and avenged last month's loss to the Saints in Washington.

The Saints (12-9, 7-6) were led by 10 points from junior guard Marelle Moehrle, plus nine points and three assists from senior forward Dara Zack.

Horn, a sophomore from Kodiak, shot 7 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 9 three-pointers, to help the regionally 4th-ranked Seawolves lead from start to finish.

UAA – which has now won 20 games for the fifth straight season – used a 17-4 run to open the game, powered by the shooting of Horn and the all-around contributions of senior point guard Kaitlin McBride, who finished with six points, six rebounds and seven assists.

The Seawolves led 31-19 at halftime before the Saints opened the second stanza with a run, pulling within 34-27 on a layup by Katie Hawkins. But Aden then sparked UAA's winning surge, stealing the ball off a full-court press and cruising in for a layup. The senior grabbed a defensive rebound a few seconds later and drove the length of the floor, drawing a foul and converting two free throws. Those plays began a 15-2 spurt that put the Seawolves up comfortably as they won for the fifth straight time against SMU in Anchorage.

Johansson scored in double figures for the 22nd time in 23 games, shooting 4 of 6 from the field, along with five rebounds and three assists. Aden was 4 of 5 at the foul stripe and snatched a game-high five steals.

Junior forwards Tijera Mathews and Kaylie Robison contributed six points apiece and combined for nine rebounds off the bench. UAA shot a solid 42 percent (24 of 57) from the field, including 59 percent from inside the arc.

The Seawolves outrebounded the Saints 37-27 and forced the visitors from Lacey, Wash., into 19 turnovers.

The win pulls UAA back within 2.5 games of Western Washington in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title race and gives the Seawolves more breathing room for second place against the Saints, who entered Thursday in a three-way tie for third.

UAA returns to action Saturday when it concludes its homestand against Western Oregon at 5:15 p.m. at the WFSC. That game will feature the Seawolf women's first-ever 'Think Pink' theme in support of breast-cancer awareness. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game.


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Players Mentioned

Nikki Aden

#25 Nikki Aden

G/F
5' 8"
Freshman
Alysa Horn

#RS Alysa Horn

F
5' 11"
Freshman
Hanna Johansson

#50 Hanna Johansson

F
6' 2"
Freshman
Kaitlin McBride

#21 Kaitlin McBride

G
5' 7"
Junior
Tijera Mathews

#3 Tijera Mathews

G/F
5' 10"
Junior
Kaylie Robison

#24 Kaylie Robison

F
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Nikki Aden

#25 Nikki Aden

5' 8"
Freshman
G/F
Alysa Horn

#RS Alysa Horn

5' 11"
Freshman
F
Hanna Johansson

#50 Hanna Johansson

6' 2"
Freshman
F
Kaitlin McBride

#21 Kaitlin McBride

5' 7"
Junior
G
Tijera Mathews

#3 Tijera Mathews

5' 10"
Junior
G/F
Kaylie Robison

#24 Kaylie Robison

6' 0"
Junior
F