Scoreboard

Balanced Seawolves outlast Wildcats, 77-70

Women's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Balanced Seawolves outlast Wildcats, 77-70

ANCHORAGE – Sophomores Jessica Madison and Jenna Buchanan combined for 29 points to lead a balanced Alaska Anchorage effort Thursday as the Seawolves escaped with a 77-70 women's basketball victory over Central Washington at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The Seawolves (13-5, 6-4 GNAC) also got eight points and nine assists from freshman point guard Kiki Robertson to overcome an early deficit.

The Wildcats (6-12, 1-9) got a game-high 19 points on 5-of-9 three-point shooting from reserve guard Hannah Shine, but the visitors could not hang on despite 42.3 percent (11 of 26) three-point accuracy.

CWU led 39-29 late in the first half before the Seawolves' nationally 4th-ranked scoring offense (85.9 ppg) came alive. After cutting the deficit to 41-37 at the half, UAA's Kylie Burns nailed a trey and Buchanan swished a jumper for two of her 14 points, giving the Seawolves their first advantage, 44-43, since the opening minutes.

UAA continued to roll behind the play of Buchanan (5-8 FG) and reserve forward KeKe Wright (11 points, 4-7 FG, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), taking their largest lead at 60-46 with 11 minutes remaining. The hosts still led by 12 with just over 2 minutes left when the Wildcats got hot again from long range, nailing three straight three-pointers to make it a 72-68 contest with 1:14 to play.

Wright and Shine exchanged layups on the next two possessions and Buchanan made one of two free throws on UAA's next possession. CWU got the ball trailing 75-70 with 29 seconds left, but the Seawolves deflected a pass that became the Wildcats' 25th turnover, including 15 in the second half. Alli Madison sank both free throws with 13 seconds to finish with 13 points and seal the win.

Jessica Madison scored 13 of her 15 points in the first half to keep it close, adding five rebounds, two assists and no turnovers in 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Robertson – a rookie from Honolulu – had her most assists in a GNAC game, while committing just one turnover and battling foul trouble.

As a team, UAA committed a season-low nine turnovers, tying for the 8th-best performance in program history and marking the fewest for a Seawolf club since March 2011.

The Seawolves, who moved into a tie for fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, return to the WFSC on Saturday for a 7 p.m. showdown against Northwest Nazarene (12-6, 5-5) as they look to avenge their Jan. 2 loss to the Crusaders in Idaho.


Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Kylie Burns

#43 Kylie Burns

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Alli Madison

#10 Alli Madison

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Jessica Madison

#RS Jessica Madison

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Jenna Buchanan

#12 Jenna Buchanan

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Kiki Robertson

#23 Kiki Robertson

G
5' 7"
Freshman
KeKe Wright

#13 KeKe Wright

F
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kylie Burns

#43 Kylie Burns

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Alli Madison

#10 Alli Madison

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Jessica Madison

#RS Jessica Madison

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Jenna Buchanan

#12 Jenna Buchanan

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Kiki Robertson

#23 Kiki Robertson

5' 7"
Freshman
G
KeKe Wright

#13 KeKe Wright

6' 0"
Junior
F