Women's Basketball | 1/26/2013 9:30:00 PM

Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon women's basketball team used a 17-5 run over the final four minutes of the first half to grab a 13-point halftime lead as the Wolves would hold off Alaska Fairbanks, 67-61, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game on Saturday night. With the victory, WOU improves to 7-12 on the season, 2-7 in league play, while UAF fell to 2-15 overall, 0-9 in GNAC action with the loss.

The Wolves nearly led from start to finish as WOU held the Nanooks to just 31.7 percent from the floor (19-of-60) for the contest. In the deciding run late in the first half, junior Melissa Fowler had seven of her game-high 21 points as the Wolves held a 38-25 edge at the break.

The Nanooks would make a small run midway through the second half to cut the Wolves lead to six with just over eight minutes remaining; however, UAF would get no closer as WOU held on for the six-point victory.

Fowler was 9-of-16 from the floor as the junior finished one rebounds shy of a double-double as she led the team with nine boards and five assists. Lorrie Clifford added 16 while Mariah Durian poured in 11 as the Wolves finished 23-of-67 (34.3 percent) from the floor.

The WOU defense played a large role in the victory as the Wolves forced 19 turnovers and converted the errors into 24 points. The Nanooks were unable to get anything going against WOU, as UAF finished the night just 2-of-17 from behind the arc.

Samantha Thornton led the Nanooks with 13 points and 11 rebounds while Taylor Altenburg added 14 points in the loss.

WOU will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 31, when the Wolves travel to Billings, Mont., to take on Montana State Billings at 6:00 p.m.