MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon University women's basketball team fell 83-56 to the No. 1 team in the country, Alaska Anchorage, Thursday, Jan. 29.
With the win, UAA moved to a perfect 6-0 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play as it sits atop the league standings. The loss drops WOU to 7-10 on the season and to 2-4 in the GNAC.
Katie Torland had a season-high 28 points for the Wolves to lead all scorers. She was nine of 13 from the field, four of five from three-point range and six of six at the free throw line. She was Western Oregon's only double-digit scorer and led the team with four rebounds. Alaska Anchorage had four players in double-figures led by Elisha Harris off the bench with 15 on six of seven shooting.
The Seawolves had a 36 to 18 rebounding advantage, including an 11 to three edge on the offensive glass. UAA was also efficient from the field shooting 56.4 percent.
"We could not compete with them on the boards," said Western Oregon head coach Greg Bruce. "They killed us in the rebounding department with their aggressiveness and size."
The game was tied at four apiece before the Seawolves went on a 7-0 spurt. Torland then scored eight straight points for the Wolves (10 overall) to cut the Seawolves lead to one at 13-12. UAA answered back with a 10-0 run and took a 42-22 lead into the locker room. The Seawolves opened the second half with a 10-2 run but after that the half was played evenly on both sides.
The Western Oregon offense executed well as it shot .409 percent against the nation's No. 1 defensive team which had been holding its opponents to a .288 clip from the field. The Wolves' .500 percent from three-point range also eclipsed the Seawolves' season average of a .239 three-point field goal defense and the 56 points were the most any GNAC school has put up against the Seawolves in league play.
"Torland had the best game of her career since I have been at Western Oregon," commented Bruce, "and this was against a very good defensive team that was trying to stop her."
"We tried to control the three-point line and give them no second chance points but those two areas of the game did us in," noted Bruce.
The Western Oregon women's basketball team will now face Alaska Fairbanks Saturday, Jan. 31, at 3:00 p.m. (ast).
"Our goal was to have a 1-1 road trip," continued Bruce. "We will have a good practice tomorrow and be ready for Saturday."
