ANCHORAGE (Feb. 20) – Senior guard Jazzpher Evans scored a career-high 25 points and senior center Tori Hollingshead delivered another double-double Thursday to help 19th-ranked Alaska Anchorage claim control of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball title race with an 87-64 victory over 16th-ranked Montana State Billings at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Seawolves (23-3, 14-1 GNAC) also got 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks from freshman forward Ashlyn Rean as they avenged their lone league loss and clinched a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal bye. Hollingshead finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to claim her fourth straight double-double and eighth this season.

The Yellowjackets (23-5, 12-3) were led by 15 points from guard Kortney Nelson, but the visitors were hurt by 20 turnovers and outshot .530 to .396.

"We did a good job in transition on both ends," said UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy, whose team can clinch no worse than a tie for the GNAC title with one more win or one MSU Billings loss in the final three games for each squad. "We still have some things we need to clean up, but overall I was very pleased with our effort tonight. Jazz had a very special evening and I'm so proud of the player she's become. She was a great leader for us tonight."

Looking to avenge a 70-55 setback in Billings last month, the Seawolves grabbed a 9-8 lead on a free throw by Evans midway through the opening quarter. The advantage continued to expand as Evans scored two layups in the final moments of the quarter to make it 28-17.

Rean put UAA ahead 39-21 on a midrange jumper at the 4:40 mark of the second quarter, and the Seawolves took a 48-31 lead into the locker room.

The Yellowjackets stayed within striking distance at 67-52 after the third quarter, but UAA answered with a three-pointer by Elaina Mack and a twisting layup by Evans to open the final stanza.

A senior who played her freshman Covid season at fellow NCAA Div. II program Quincy (Ill.), Evans became the 18th player in UAA history to score at least 1,000 points in Green & Gold. The Chicago native shot 8 of 13 from the field, 4 of 7 on threes and 5 of 7 on free throws, along with four assists.

Meanwhile, Rean continued her hot streak with 9-of-16 shooting and a career high in blocks, while Hollingshead shot 6 of 10 from the field, adding two assists, three steals and no turnovers.

Senior point guard Emilia Long had nine points, 10 assists – matching her season high – and three steals, increasing her UAA and GNAC single-season record to 114 swipes.

The Seawolves finish their home season Saturday with a 5:15 p.m. tip against Seattle Pacific at the Alaska Airlines Center. Find tickets and live links at GoSeawolves.com.