THIS WEEK IN ALASKA ANCHORAGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL...
 
Thursday, Dec. 4 – 4:15 pm AST – Marcus Pavilion – Lacey, WA
#16 Alaska Anchorage (7-0, 0-0 GNAC) at Saint Martin's (4-3, 0-0 GNAC)
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Saturday, Dec. 6 – 1 pm AST – New P.E. Building – Monmouth, Ore.
#16 Alaska Anchorage at Western Oregon (3-3, 0-0 GNAC [Thu. vs UAF])
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Sunday, Dec. 7 – Noon AST – P.E. Building – Monmouth, Oreg.
Anchorage at Oregon State (5-3, one game pending)
 
LIVE VIDEO: All UAA regular-season home games and GNAC road games stream 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) ... Sunday's game at Oregon State will be on ESPN+.
 
LIVE STATS: Thursday at smusaints.com/sidearmstats/wbball
                       Saturday at wouwolves.com/sidearmstats/wbball
                       Sunday at statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=orst
 
UAA PROBABLE STARTERS (2025-26 stats)
G—Faith Mersburgh, 5-5, Jr. (6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg, .412 3FG)
G—Mylee Anderson, 5-8, Fr. (13.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.3 spg)
G—Elaina Mack, 5-8, Jr. (21.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.0 spg, .468 FG, .444 3FG)
F—Mahaila Harrison, 6-0, So. (20.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.1 spg, .474 FG, .710 FT)
C—Lillee Duffin, 6-1, Jr. (6.9 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 spg, .500 FG)
 
GNAC, BEAVERS ON TAP: The Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team plays its annual early-season Great Northwest Athletic Conference openers this week, visiting Saint Martin's on Thursday (4:15 pm AST) and Western Oregon on Saturday (1 pm AST) ... this begins the 18-game, round-robin GNAC schedule, with the top six teams at the end of the regular season qualifying for the GNAC Championships tournament in March ... on Sunday, the Seawolves will play a discretionary exhibition at Div. I program Oregon State in Corvallis; the game will count for OSU and be an exhibition for UAA.
 
SCOUTING REPORT: Picked third in the GNAC preseason poll and coming off a berth in the 2025 GNAC Tournament title game, Saint Martin's has started a 3-3 mark against D-II foes, including games against common opponents Chaminade (W, 67-44) and Hawaii Pacific (W, 58-44) ... the Saints are led by Kiana Rios (14.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .429 3FG, .821 FT) and Jada Travis (12.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, .333 3FG) ... picked 8th in the preseason poll, Western Oregon has played just two games against D-II opponents thus far, losing 93-67 at Point Loma and 68-66 at Cal State San Marcos ... the Wolves are led by Enid Vaifanua (17.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, .554 FG) and Kylani Rookstool (16.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, .371 3FG).
 
THE SERIES...
vs SMU: UAA leads 39-17 overall, 17-11 in Lacey/Olympia
Streak: UAA 1
Last: UAA 75-59 (3/8/25 at SMU, GNAC Tourney title gm.)
Notes: UAA has won 16 of the last 18 overall and nine of the last 11 in Lacey ... the Seawolves lost 57-53 at SMU in the regular-season finale last year before getting revenge in the GNAC title game ... UAA leads 31-14 in GNAC regular-season meetings and 2-0 in the GNAC Tourney … teams have played at least once per season since 1997-98, with the exception of the pandemic campaign ... first meeting was Dec. 4, 1992.
 
vs WOU: UAA leads 43-9 overall, 21-3 in Monmouth
Streak: UAA 2
Last: UAA 89-66 (2/27/25 at WOU)
Notes: The Seawolves have won 39 of the last 40 meetings, not including a WOU forfeit in Feb. 2024 ... UAA has won 20 straight in Monmouth, with WOU's last win on Jan. 16, 2003 ... UAA leads 39-6 in GNAC games ... teams have played each season since 1998-99 ... first meetings were in 1979-80.
 
vs OSU: OSU leads 3-0 overall and in Corvallis
Last: OSU 75-55 (1/8/84 at OSU)
Notes: The teams met three times in the early 1980s, including a pair of contests in Jan. 1980 ... having hosted the Great Alaska Shootout most seasons since 1980, UAA owns 38 victories over 34 different NCAA Div. I programs ... the Seawolves are 6-20 all-time against D-I teams in games that is have counted for them as exhibitions.
 
BOBCATS BONKED: The Seawolves stayed unbeaten in regular-season play with 93-80 and 100-58 victories over California Collegiate Athletic Association club UC Merced last week at the Alaska Airlines Center ... in the first game, Sr. G Elaina Mack went for 30 points (12-21 FG, 6-13 3FG) and Fr. G Mylee Anderson added 17 points (8-16 FG), 6 rebounds and 5 assists to survive a late push by the Bobcats ... in the rematch, So. F Mahaila Harrison had a career-high 28 points (4-11 3FG) and Mack tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, no turnovers and a career-high 4 blocks to blow out the visitors ... So. G Kimberly Carrada Sanchez had career highs of 23 points (8-10 FG, 3-4 3FG) and 10 assists as the Seawolves' committed only five turnovers, tying the second-fewest in program history.
 
TEAM NOTES: The Seawolves rose one spot to No. 16 in the third regular-season WBCA NCAA Div. II Top 25 coaches' poll, receiving 220 votes ... UAA ranks in the top half of the GNAC in all but a couple primary statistical categories, including first in scoring margin (+27.3), rebounds per game (50.0), offensive rebounds per game (16.7), defensive rebounds per game (33.3), 3FGs per game (11.3), TO margin (+7.0), A/T ratio (1.8) and assists per game (20.4) ... in the NCAA D-II national stats, UAA leads the nation in A/T ratio and 3FGs per game, along with top-10 ranks in assists (3rd), defensive rebounding (3rd), scoring offense (4th, 88.4 ppg), rebounds per game (4th), fewest turnovers per game (4th, 11.4) and scoring margin (5th).
 
MACK ATTACK: In her sixth 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, twice earning GNAC Player of the Week honors already ... the team captain was named 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 ... the King Cove product holds national ranks of 2nd in 3FGs per game (4.0), scoring (11th, 21.6 ppg) and 38th in 3FG% (.444), along with GNAC ranks of 1st in 3FGs per game, 2nd in scoring, 5th in rebounding (7.3 rpg), 3rd in 3FG% and offensive rebounding (2.9), 13th in assists (2.7), 6th in blocks (0.9) and 5th in minutes per game (32.6) ... on UAA's career lists, Mack has risen to 3rd in 3FGs per game (2.05), 5th in 3FGs made (189, needs two more to tie for 4th), 13th in 3FG% (.371) and 27th in points (845).
 
'WOLF BITES: Playing her first big minutes since high school, So. F Mahaila Harrison has made an impressive debut with 20.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.1 spg ... the VCU transfer grabbed 15 rebounds in the second win over Northwest, and has scored at least nine points in all seven games ... Harrison ranks 3rd in scoring, 8th in rebounding and 6th 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 five of seven 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 13th in scoring (13.4 ppg), 14th in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and 3rd in assists (4.6 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 all but one 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 13.1 rpg, nabbing at least nine boards in all five games ... So. G Kimberly Carrada Sanchez has provided a major spark off the bench in every game, tallying double-figure points in six of seven contests and going for 23 rebounds, 10 assists and just one turnover in the second win over UC Merced ... the Northwest (Wash.) University transfer leads the GNAC and ranks 4th nationally with a 4.2 A/T ratio, along with league ranks of 1st in assists (4.2 apg, 14th nationally), 12th in steals (2.0 spg) and 12th in FT% (.727).
 
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 241-25 (.906) over the last 19 seasons on their home courts, including 132-15 (.898) 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 80 of their last 87 regular-season games against Div. II non-conference opponents, including a 39-2 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
GNAC Player of the Week, Nov. 24-30
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)