Women's Basketball | 1/10/2009 7:36:07 PM
Box Score MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon University women's basketball team could not overcome the defense of the No. 2 team in the country, Alaska Anchorage, as it lost 57-39, Saturday, Jan. 10.
The loss dropped the Wolves to 1-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and to 6-7 on the season. With the win, the Seawolves extended its winning streak to 13 games and improved to 2-0 in the GNAC and to 15-1 on the season.
Western Oregon was held to a 33.3 shooting percentage for the game as it went 13-of-39 from the field. WOU was also limited to only seven three-point attempts while it had averaged 15.8 three-point attempts per game.
Katie Torland led the Wolves with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Whitney Chase was the only other Western Oregon player in double-figures as she posted 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
Alaska Anchorage scored on its first three possessions in the first half to take an 8-0 lead before extending it to 15-5. Western Oregon would make a 4-0 spurt to get within six at 15-9 but that is as close as it would get in the half. The Seawolves put up 35 shots in the half compared to 19 for the Wolves as they took advantage of 11 offensive rebounds and 14 WOU turnovers.
In the second half, the Wolves closed the lead to under 10 points at 41-32 but that would be as close as they would get. UAA held WOU to a 25 percent field goal percentage in the half (5-20) and held the Wolves without a basketball for 5:29. WOU also put on a defensive display early in the second period as it held UAA without a point for 7:16.
Western Oregon was able to overcome aspects of Alaska Anchorage's early season trends as it shot 33.3 percent while UAA had been holding its opponents to a .278 shooting percentage. WOU also held UAA below its season field goal percentage of .424 and was only four off in rebounding while the Seawolves had been outrebounding its opponents by 11.1 per contest.
The Western Oregon women's basketball team will be on the road next week as it faces Northwest Nazarene Thursday, Jan. 15, and Montana State Billings, Saturday, Jan. 17.
