The Basics

• Final Score: Western Oregon 83, Alaska 51
• Records: Western Oregon 9-9, 6-4; Alaska 8-11, 3-7
• Wolves end the first half of GNAC play in a tie for fourth place with MSUB
• Location: Fairbanks, Alaska – Alaska Airlines Court

 
How It Happened
Western Oregon hit four of their first five shots in a 10-3 opening run and never looked back in an 83-51 rout of Alaska on Saturday night that set a record for the fewest amount of points allowed by a Wolves team under second-year head coach Jim Shaw.
 
The Wolves led by 25 at the break and by as many as 40 in the most convincing win of the season.
 
Ali Faruq-Bey hit all three shots from distance he attempted in the first half accounting for nine points. Tanner Omlid was 6-of-8 for 13 points while Bryan Berg matched Faruq-Bey's 3-of-3 performance from distance, including a four-point play, and accounted for 14 points in just eight minutes on the floor prior to intermission. The Wolves shot  51.6 percent (16-of-31) while holding the Nanooks to just five field goals (5-of-16, 31.3 percent).
 
In the second half, Berg and Demetrius Trammell both got hot from distance as the Wolves continued to extend the lead. Trammell was fouled in the attempt of a 3-pointer and made all three charity attempts. He would connect on a tradition three on the next possession opening the middle of the key for a pair of Omlid lay-ups. Trammell would connect twice more to account for 14 points in the second half.
 
Berg took over the outside sharpshooting with seven minutes left on the clock, adding two deep makes that put the Wolves up 82-42.
 
Alaska held Western Oregon without a field goal over the final six minutes, but a 9-1 closing run was not enough to wipe away the Wolves' big lead.
 
Wolves' Top Performers

• Bryan Berg made the most of his 18 minutes on the court. He scored a career-high 22 points on 6-of-8 overall shooting. His night included a 5-for-6 performance from behind the 3-point arc and a perfect 5-of-5 from the foul line.
• Tanner Omlid had another solid performance with 19 points and five rebounds.
• Demetrius Trammell scored in double figures for the fifth straight game posting 15 points (4-8 FG, 3-7 3FG).
• Akil Reese had a career-high 14 points playing 34 minutes.
• JJ Chirnside led the team with seven rebounds and four steals.

For the Nanooks

• Nahjee Matlock led Alaska in scoring with nine points.
• Bengaly Kaba had seven points and a team-best five rebounds.

 
Stats of the Game

• Western Oregon made the most of forcing 17 UAF turnover, cashing in 22 points on the following possessions.
• The Wolves had more make from downtown in the first half than Alaska had total field goals. WOU was 7-of-14 from 3-point land while the Nanooks struggled going 5-of-16 from the floor.
• WOU dominated the glass, outrebounding Alaska on the night, 35-24.
• Western Oregon led for 39:44 out of the total 40 minutes.
• Led by Berg's 22, the WOU bench outscored UAF, 39-24.

 
Up Next
Western Oregon remains on the road next week facing Northwest Nazarene on Thursday (Jan. 26) and Central Washington on Saturday (Jan. 28).