FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The gracious hosts were not too welcoming in the final period of the game Friday afternoon as Alaska Fairbanks used a huge comeback to edge Stanislaus State, 73-71, Friday at the Alaska Airlines Court during the Mt. McKinley North Star Invitational.
Alaska (4-2) erased a 15-point Stan State lead with a 22-5 run over a six-minute window in the final quarter to defeat the Warriors (2-4).
Ana Burch followed a nice game on Thanksgiving with a career-high 25 points outburst against the home team. She also had team bests six rebounds and five steals. Burch nailed 9 of her 15 shots, including going 3-for-4 from the 3-point arch.
Reana Hardin and
Cassidy Sanders-Curry each chipped in 13 points as well. The trio, with 51 points, accounted for 72 percent of the scoring.
The even-contest, with teams matching each other in most statistical categories, appeared to be decided on the free throw line — and layups. Alaska was 15 for 17 from the free throw line as the Nanooks stayed closed in the third hitting 10 of 10 from the the foul line. During the 22-5 run, Alaska made seven lay-ups out of nine field goals.
The Warriors had their biggest lead at 15 points with 7:44 on the clock in the fourth after three straight Stan State three-pointers — two by Hardin and another by Burch. But Kaillee Skjold's layup started the momentum-turning run. A Jordan Wilson free throw tied the game at 69-69 with 1:20 left and 12 seconds later, Skjold capped the spurt with a jumper to give Alaska a two-point lead.
Still, Stanislaus State got even. A
Riley Holladay bucket with 12 seconds left tie the score until another Wilson layup with six ticks to go for the final score.
Stanislaus State shot 45 percent and made nine three-pointers for the night — the best of the season in both categories. The Warriors also used 14 steals to force 23 Alaska turnovers to score 33 points off those miscues.
Holladay finished with seven points with five assists and four rebounds.
Wilson led the Nanooks with 28 points with Skjold turning in a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The Warriors will wrap-up the three-game trip to Alaska to face Newman Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. AST.
