THIS WEEK IN ALASKA ANCHORAGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL...
 
Friday, Nov. 28 – 5:15 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center – Anchorage, AK
UC Merced (3-1) at #17 Alaska Anchorage (5-0)
&
Saturday, Nov. 29 – 3 pm AST – Alaska Airlines Center – Anchorage, AK
UC Merced at #17 Alaska Anchorage
 
LIVE STATS: GoSeawolves.com/sidearmstats/wbball
 
LIVE VIDEO: All games streamed through the GNAC Network portal at Hudl – gnacnetwork.com/uaaseawolves ... fans can choose between a single event ($12), a 30-day subscription ($25) or a yearly subscription ($120).
 
TICKETS: GoSeawolves.com
 
UAA PROBABLE STARTERS (2025-26 stats)
G—Faith Mersburgh, 5-5, Jr. (5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg)
G—Mylee Anderson, 5-8, Fr. (14.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.8 apg, .345 3FG)
G—Elaina Mack, 5-8, Jr. (19.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg, .429 FG, .465 3FG)
F—Mahaila Harrison, 6-0, So. (19.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.8 spg, .462 FG, .690 FT)
C—Lillee Duffin, 6-1, Jr. (8.4 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 2.2 apg, .552 FG)
 
BACK TO BUSINESS: After playing a pair of Div. I exhibitions in the annual ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout, the Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team returns to its NCAA Div. II schedule with a pair of home games this week against UC Merced ... both games will be key to UAA's postseason hopes, counting as West Region contests in the power rankings.
 
SCOUTING REPORT: Playing a transitionary season into NCAA Div. II and CCAA membership, UC Merced has gotten off to a strong 3-1 start, earning wins over Fresno Pacific (73-61), Chaminade (66-60) and Hawaii Pacific (67-57) ... the Bobcats are led by Nicole Lukito (16.3 ppg, 13.8 rpg, .600 FG) and Sarina Nagra (15.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, .522 3FG) ... these will mark the first meetings between UAA and UCM in women's basketball.
 
SHOOTOUT RECAP: UAA came up short despite valiant efforts against NCAA Div. I teams last week in the ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout, falling 77-60 to St. Thomas and 67-63 to Bowling Green at the Alaska Airlines Center ... both games were exhibitions for UAA and counted for the visitors ... on Friday, Jr. C Lillee Duffin had 19 points (7-11 FG) and 11 rebounds, but the Tommies nailed 16 three-pointers to pull away late ... So. F Mahaila Harrison and Sr. G Elaina Mack had 11 points apiece as they and Duffin combined to play 119 of a possible 120 minutes ... on Saturday, Fr. G Mylee Anderson had 19 points as UAA took an 11-point lead late in the third quarter, but the Falcons used a 29-8 edge in points off turnovers to claim the victory ... Duffin had 12 rebounds, Harrison scored 15 points and Mack had 15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and just one turnover as she claimed Shootout All-Tournament honors.
 
HAWAII HIGHLIGHTS: The Seawolves recorded their first wins over fellow NCAA Div. II opponents under new coach Matt Thune last week, beating Hawaii Pacific 72-49 and Chaminade 88-59 in Honolulu in the GNAC/PacWest Challenge in Honolulu, and returning home for a Tuesday 59-43 victory over Hawaii Hilo ... in the first game, So. F Mahaila Harrison had 24 points (3-7 3FG, 9-15 FT) and Jr. C Lillee Duffin notched her first double-double with 11 points (5-9 FG) and 13 rebounds, helping UAA win all four quarters against the Sharks ... on Saturday, Fr. G Mylee Anderson had 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists to help the Seawolves dominate the final three quarters against Chaminade ... Duffin went for 10 points (4-5 FG) and 15 rebounds, Harrison added 17 points (7-14 FG) and 7 rebounds, and So. G Kimberly Carrada Sanchez chipped in 13 points (3-7 3FG), 4 rebounds and game-high 4 assists ... against Hilo, Sr. G Elaina Mack had 15 points and Duffin tied the school record with a 24-rebound performance as UAA outboarded the Vulcans 52-34 ... Anderson added 14 points and Carrada Sanchez had season bests of 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 0 turnovers.
 
TEAM NOTES: The Seawolves rose five spots to No. 17 in the second regular-season WBCA NCAA Div. II Top 25 coaches' poll, receiving 184 ... UAA ranks in the top half of the GNAC in all but one primary statistical category so far, including first in scoring margin (+27.2), rebound margin (+16.6), rebounds per game (52.0), offensive rebounds per game (18.6) and defensive rebounds per game (33.4) ... in the NCAA D-II national stats, UAA is top 10 in rebound margin (5th), rebounds per game (4th), defensive rebounds (5th), 3FGs made per game (6th, 10.6), scoring offense (8th, 85.2 ppg) and A/T ratio (8th, 1.32).
 
MACK ATTACK: Now in her sixth and final year with the program, Sr. G Elaina Mack has developed into an all-around scoring threat and a virtual coach on the court for the Seawolves this year ... the team captain was named last month to the All-GNAC Preseason Team, coming off an honorable mention All-GNAC season as a junior ... after posting double figures in 19 of 33 games as a junior, the King Cove native started 2025-26 with a school-record-tying 41 points against Northwest, breaking UAA's school record for threes in a game with 10 ... in the early GNAC stats, she is 2nd in 3FGs per game (4.0, 3rd nationally), 5th in scoring (19.2 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg), 2nd in 3FG% (.465), 3rd in offensive rebounding (3.0), 14th in assists (2.4) and 9th in minutes per game (31.6) ... on UAA's career lists, Mack has risen to 4th in 3FGs per game (2.01), 5th in 3FGs made (181, needs 10 more to tie for 4th), 13th in 3FG% (.370) and 35th in points (790).
 
'WOLF BITES: Playing her first big minutes since high school, So. F Mahaila Harrison has made an impressive debut with 19.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 1.8 spg ... the VCU transfer grabbed 15 rebounds in the second win over Northwest, and has scored at least nine points in all five games ... Harrison ranks 3rd in scoring, 7th in rebounding and 12th in steals in the early GNAC stats ... a three-time all-state selection at Wasilla High, Fr. G Mylee Anderson has started her collegiate career with double-figure scoring in four of five games, including 23 points in her debut against Northwest and 21 points at Chaminade ... she holds GNAC top-20 ranks in seven categories so far, including 11th in scoring (14.6 ppg), 12th in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and 3rd in assists (4.8 apg) ... Anderson's nine assists against Northwest were the most by a UAA player from Alaska since Keiahnna Engel dished nine in 2016, and she's grabbed at least five rebounds in each game ... Jr. C Lillee Duffin posted double-doubles in each victory in Honolulu and exploded for a school-record-tying 24 rebounds in UAA's home victory over Hilo ... the Lane (Ore.) CC transfer and Idaho Falls prep product leads the GNAC and ranks 4th in NCAA Div. II with her 14.8 rpg, nabbing double-figure boards in all five games ... So. G Kimberly Carrada Sanchez has provided a major spark off the bench in every game so far, tallying double-figures points in the first four contests and going for 7 rebounds, 6 assists, no turnovers and 3 steals in the win over Hilo ... the Northwest (Wash.) University transfer is 3rd in the GNAC and 12th nationally with her 3.5 A/T ratio, along with league ranks of 5th in assists (4.2 apg) and 9th in steals (2.0 spg).
 
SINGING A NEW THUNE: Indiana native Matt Thune (pronounced 'TUNE') begins his head coaching career after assistant stints at five NCAA Div. I programs, helping to spark major turnarounds during stops at Utah Tech, Eastern Kentucky and Weber State ... at Utah Tech, Thune was promoted to associate head coach in 2023-24 after helping the Trailblazers to a nine-win improvement the previous year ... Utah Tech's 19-12 record in 2022-23 marked its most wins in 12 years, achieving the first postseason berth and victory in its Div. I era ... Thune joined Utah Tech's staff following a three-year stint at Eastern Kentucky (2019-22), including two seasons as the program's associate head coach ... at EKU he assisted in rebuilding a program that had not won a Division I contest the year prior to his arrival, helping the Colonels to the fourth-best turnaround in D-I his first year, and a postseason berth in 2022 ... Thune spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Weber State from 2015-18, helping the Wildcats to achieve the most wins in program history (23) and a runner-up finish in the postseason WBI tournament in 2016 ... he got his coaching start on Jeff Walz's staff at Louisville from 2012-15, assisting in the Cardinals taking 89 of a possible 110 contests ... the Cards won at least 25 games each season, appearing in three Sweet 16s, two Elite 8s and finishing national runner-up in 2013 ... the Indianapolis native graduated from Indiana University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in management, and earned a master's degree in sports administration from Louisville in 2014 ... Thune is assisted by Jaelen Tatum (1st season) and former Bartlett High star Mia 'Uhila (1st season.)
 
WINNING WAYS: UAA is a combined 174-31 – including 80-17 on the road – in GNAC regular-season and tournament games since Dec. 2014 ... the Seawolves have gone a combined 239-25 (.905) over the last 19 seasons on their home courts, including 130-15 (.897) at the Alaska Airlines Center (since 2014-15) ... UAA's run of six straight GNAC regular-season titles (2015-20) is the longest of any basketball program – women's or men's – since the league was founded in 2001-02 ... the Seawolves have produced 18 20-win seasons in 47 full years of program history ... the Seawolves have won 78 of their last 85 regular-season games against Div. II non-conference opponents, including a 37-2 mark at the Alaska Airlines Center ... UAA has earned 18 consecutive winning records and made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in its last 18 full seasons ... the Seawolves have never failed to qualify for the GNAC Tournament, winning seven of the 14 titles since the event started in 2011.
 
2025-26 INDIVIDUAL HONORS
ELAINA MACK
ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team
GNAC Player of the Week, Nov. 3-9
Preseason All-GNAC Team
 
2025-26 SCHOOL RECORDS BROKEN/TIED
TEAM
Most 3FGS Made, Game – 16 vs Northwest University, 11/7 (ties record for fourth time)
Most Points, 1st Qtr, Home Game – 36 vs Northwest University, 11/7 (old record: 31 vs Dixie State, 11/13/15)
Most Points, 2nd Qtr, Home Game – 33 vs Northwest University, 11/8 (old record: 31, three times)
Most Points, Any Qtr, Home Game – 36 vs Northwest University, 11/7 (old record: 33, three times)
INDIVIDUAL
Most Points, Game – 41, Elaina Mack vs Northwest University, 11/8 (ties record by Allegra Stoetzel vs Spring Arbor, 11/24/95 at Detroit, Mich.)
Most Points, Home Game – 41, Elaina Mack vs Northwest University, 11/8 (old record: Robin Graul vs Radford, 2/28/87)
Most Rebounds, Game – 24, Lillee Duffin vs Hawaii Hilo, 11/18 (ties record by Tammy Middaugh vs Puget Sound, 12/11/81)
Most 3FGs Made, Game – 10, Elaina Mack vs Northwest University, 11/8 (old record: 9, Sasha King vs Northwest Nazarene, 2/16/13)
Most 3FGs Made, Half – 7, Elaina Mack vs Northwest University, 11/8 (ties record by Maria Nilsson vs Saint Martin's, 2/3/07 & by Rachel Ingram vs MSU Billings, 1/27/22)