ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Jan. 4) – Senior guard Jazzpher Evans delivered 13 points and six assists to power a balanced attack Saturday for the Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team in a 68-61 victory over Central Washington at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Seawolves (13-2, 4-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) also got 11 points, five rebounds and three steals from senior point guard Emilia Long as they outshot the hosts .518 (29-56) to .327 (18-55).

The Wildcats (9-3, 2-1) were led by 22 points, five rebounds and four assists from guard Asher Cai in a battle of teams receiving votes in the NCAA Div. II top-25 poll.

"I thought we executed our game plan extremely well with the exception of a lapse at the end of the third quarter," said UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy. "Even after they made that huge run, though, we never wavered and continued to do what got us the lead originally. I'm especially proud of Jazz's effort to bounce back as the offensive force that we know she is, and give us huge extra minutes when Emilia got in foul trouble."

Looking to move atop the GNAC standings and remain one of two league unbeatens with a victory, the Seawolves never trailed, going up 10-2 lead and leading 19-13 after a quarter. Despite Long – the NCAA Div. II national leader with 4.9 steal per game – heading to the bench with her third foul early in the second quarter, the Seawolves were able to forge a 33-29 halftime advantage.

UAA expanded the lead to 54-40 when Evans drained a midrange jumper and followed with a three-pointer at the 2:27 mark of the third quarter, but the Wildcats would answer with a major surge. Star guard Sunny Huerta – held scoreless in the first half – exploded for 11 points during a 13-2 run to end the quarter, and the hosts made it 55-55 when she scored inside to start the fourth quarter.

The Seawolves responded immediately with consecutive baskets from Jaisa Gamble, however, and held the Wildcats scoreless for the next five minutes as they pushed the lead back to 62-55. Central Washington would not score another field goal, in fact, missing their last 12 attempts.

Gamble finished with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting and two key steals, while freshman forward Ashlyn Rean had nine points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

The Seawolves got a least one field goal and other significant contributions from all nine players, including seven points (3-4 FG, 1-1 3FG) and six rebounds from junior Kenzie Sirowich, eight points (4-6 FG) from junior Hedda Koehne, and five rebounds, four assists and two steals from senior Ja'Niah Alexander.

The result marked the fifth victory for the road team in the last six meetings between the clubs.

UAA returns to action Saturday with a 1 p.m. AST tip at Alaska Fairbanks. Find live links at GoSeawolves.com.