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Women crush Vikings, claim ouright GNAC crown

Women's Basketball UAA Media Relations

Women crush Vikings, claim ouright GNAC crown

ANCHORAGE – Alaska Anchorage forwards Megan Mullings and Alysha Devine combined for 39 points and six steals Thursday as the nationally top-ranked Seawolves clinched the outright Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball title with a 79-52 rout of second-place Western Washington at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Seawolves (31-1, 18-1 GNAC) got 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting from Mullings, plus 17 points, six rebounds and three steals from Devine to claim their second straight outright crown and avenge their only loss this season – a 71-62 defeat at WWU on Dec. 5.

The Vikings (19-8, 15-4), ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA Div. II West Region poll, were led by 17 points from junior guard Taylor Peacocke, but the visitors were outrebounded 41-23 and outshot .464 to .321.

UAA never trailed after tallying the game's first nine points, although WWU crept within 24-23 on a Peacocke three-pointer early in the second quarter. That would be the Vikings' last field goal before the half, however, and Mullings added eight more points in the next eight minutes for a 37-25 halftime lead.

Having succumbed to a third-quarter Vikings rally in their December loss, the Seawolves flipped the script on Thursday, taking complete control with a 27-9 run over that 10-minute stretch. Sierra Afoa hit a layup to make it 48-27 at the 5:40 mark, and UAA led by at least 20 the rest of the way.

Junior point guard Kiki Robertson dished eight assists, along with seven points and five rebounds, while Afoa finished with seven points (2-2 FG) and five boards. Senior guard Jenna Buchanan added nine points, five rebounds and four assists, extending her three-point streak to 36 games overall and tying the NCAA Div. II single-season record of 32 consecutive contests with at least one trey.

Buchanan can break that mark Saturday when the Seawolves – ranked No. 1 in both the WBCA national poll and West polls – host their 'Senior Day' regular-season finale against Simon Fraser. Tip is set for 2 p.m. at the Alaska Airlines Center.

NOTES: UAA's 31 victories now ties the school record set by the 2008-09 team that finished 31-4 and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals … the Seawolves also set new standards for most conference wins (18, breaking last year's record) and most wins against fellow Div. II opponents (28) … Buchanan has tied the NCAA Div. II single-season consecutive treys mark held since 1991 by Clarion's Shannon Coakley … Buchanan also tied Saint Martin's Beth Layton (2003-06) for No. 5 on the GNAC all-time three-pointers list with 228 … Robertson had one steal, moving into a tie for No. 3 on the GNAC's career list with MSU Billings's Shantel Marquis (2007-11) at 261 … Mullings topped 20 points for the seventh time this year.

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Buchanan

#12 Jenna Buchanan

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Sierra Afoa

#RS Sierra Afoa

F
5' 9"
Freshman
Alysha Devine

#15 Alysha Devine

F
6' 0"
Freshman
Kiki Robertson

#23 Kiki Robertson

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Megan Mullings

#11 Megan Mullings

F
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Jenna Buchanan

#12 Jenna Buchanan

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Sierra Afoa

#RS Sierra Afoa

5' 9"
Freshman
F
Alysha Devine

#15 Alysha Devine

6' 0"
Freshman
F
Kiki Robertson

#23 Kiki Robertson

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Megan Mullings

#11 Megan Mullings

6' 1"
Junior
F