2012-13 UAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON REVIEW

BRIEF SEASON RECAP: The Seawolves rallied to win their last seven regular-season games, securing the program's seventh straight winning season at 17-10, and tying for third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at 11-7 … UAA set 13 school records, won the title of its own AT&T Hoops Classic in December, and recorded yet another victory over a Div. I opponent with a 73-47 blowout of North Dakota State in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout … seniors Alysa Horn and Sasha King were both All-GNAC Second Team honorees, while Jessica Madison earned the GNAC Freshman of the Year award.

UAA SEASON-ENDING STARTERS (2012-13 stats)
G—Sasha King, 5-6, Sr. (15.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.9 spg, .371 3FG, .808 FT, 33.4 mpg)
G—Jessica Madison, 5-8, Fr. (9.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, .431 FG, .316 3FG, .829 FT)
G—Jenna Buchanan, 5-8, Fr. (7.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg, .445 FG, .341 3FG)
F—Kylie Burns, 5-9, Jr. (10.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.1 spg, .317 3FG, .743 FT, 33.4 mpg)
F—Alysa Horn, 6-0, Sr. (15.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.3 bpg, .736 FT, 35.7 mpg)

TEAM NOTES: The Seawolves earned their seventh straight winning season and the 22nd in the 36-year history of the program … with an 11-7 record, UAA also secured its seventh straight winning GNAC campaign … by winning their last seven regular-season games, the Seawolves finished in a three-way tie for third in the GNAC and extended their league-best streak of seven straight seasons in the top 3 … UAA finished in the top 50 in eight categories in the NCAA Div. II national stats rankings, including 8th in 3FGs per game (8.2) and 16th in FT% (.760) … in the GNAC stats, UAA led in 3FGs per game, and ranked third in turnover margin (+3.3), assists (15.3 apg), FT% and 3FG% (.344) … the Seawolves tied or broke five team single-game records, including marks for fewest turnovers (6 vs Regis, Nov. 17), most 3FGs made (14 vs NDSU & at NNU) and best FT% (12-12 vs Regis, Nov. 16) … the 26-point margin against North Dakota State was UAA's 3rd-largest over a D-I opponent, trailing only a 89-47 win over Coastal Carolina in 2009 and a 72-44 pounding of Cal State Northridge in 2008 … UAA's regular-season sweep of Seattle Pacific was its first in the GNAC era (since 2001-02); UAA last swept SPU came in 1999-00, when both teams were in the Pac West Conference … with season sweeps of Central Washington and Alaska Fairbanks, UAA extended the program's longest (19 vs CWU) and 3rd-longest (12 vs UAF) win streaks against any opponent.

GNAC TOURNAMENT RECAP: The 4th-seeded Seawolves had their two-year Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament title run end with a quarterfinal loss to Northwest Nazarene on Mar. 6 … the Seawolves got a game-high 20 points (8-14 FG), plus 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals from Sr. F Alysa Horn, but the Crusaders fought off a late UAA comeback attempt … Sr. PG Sasha King tallied 17 points, 7 assists and 5 steals in her final outing, while Fr. G Jenna Buchanan came one rebound short of her first double-double with 10 points (5-7 FG), 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

ROUNDING OUT HORN: With 20 points in her final game, Sr. F Alysa Horn finished with a 14-game double-digit scoring streak, ranking 6th in the GNAC and 99th in NCAA Div. II with 15.4 ppg … a Second Team All-GNAC selection for the second time in her career, UAA's Team co-MVP held other league ranks of 2nd in rebounding (9.0 rpg, 67th nationally), 3rd in double-doubles (8), 1st in minutes (35.8 mpg) and 4th in blocks (1.3 bpg) … the Kodiak product topped 20 points on eight occasions this year, while grabbing 9-plus rebounds 14 times … now a 3-time GNAC All-Academic selection, she averaged nearly a double-double (16.2 ppg/9.9 rpg) during UAA's current 9-2 stretch to end the regular season … Horn was an all-tournament pick at the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout in November, and her Most Outstanding Player performance in the AT&T Hoops Classic (Dec. 17-19) earned her GNAC player-of-the-week honors for the fourth time in her career.… for her career, Horn ranked in UAA's top 10 in points (1,134, 9th), rebounds (639, 8th), blocks (59, 9th) and 3FGs made (113, t-6th), becoming the first player in program history with at least 1,000 points, 500 boards, 50 blocks and 100 treys … in all, Horn concluded with 18 top-20 career statistical ranks, including FG made (12th, 408), 3FG% (15th, .335), FT% (10th, .745), victories (4th, 87) and double-doubles (13th, 13).

KING-SIZE TALENT: Team co-MVP and Sr. PG Sasha King was one of just three players in NCAA Div. II to average at least 15 points and 5 assists per game in 2012-13, ranking 4th nationally with 5.9 apg … the Second Team All-GNAC selection led the league in steals (2.9 spg) and 3FGs per game (2.6), while also ranking among the top-6 leaders in assists (2nd), minutes (4th, 33.4 mpg), scoring (5th, 15.6 ppg), 3FG% (5th, .371), asst.-TO ratio (5th, 1.4) and FT% (6th, .808) … in the D-II national stats, she ranked among the top 100 in eight different categories, including assists (4th), steals (28th), 3FGs per game (28th) and 3FG% (47th) … King scored double figures in 20 of her 24 games and dished 5-plus assists on 14 occasions … the Oklahoma native finished No. 3 on UAA's single-season list for assists per game and 5th in 3FGs per game … in just two seasons, King also moved into 4th place on UAA's total assists list with 301, breaking the career average record at 5.0 per game … on UAA's other career lists, she placed 6th in 3FGs per game (1.8), 7th in steals per game (2.5), 7th in 3FG% (.388), 8th in FT% (.760), 9th in 3FGs made (106), 13th in steals (147), 13th in minutes per game (27.7) and tied for 27th in scoring (616 pts).

SASHA SINKS 'EM: With her 9-of-10 three-point shooting display at Northwest Nazarene on Feb. 16, Sr. PG Sasha King established or tied six school records (4 individual, 2 team) and a pair of GNAC marks … the Oklahoman broke UAA individual records for 3FGs made, consecutive 3FGs made (8) and highest 3FG% on minimum 7 attempts (.900), while tying the mark for 3FG% in a half (1.000, 6-6) … UAA's 14 team treys also tied the program record and established a new record for a road game … on the GNAC lists, she tied the mark of Seattle Pacific's Kelsey Burns (9 3FGs vs UAF, 2/21/09) and crushed the record for 3FG% with just one miss — eight GNAC players held the previous mark at 6-of-7 … King's performance was the best in NCAA Div. II in 2012-3 among players with 9-plus attempts.

SAVING THE BEST: Fifth-year Sr. G Jordan Martin had the best season of her career in 2012-13, more than tripling her career scoring totals with 117 points (5.6 ppg) and quadrupling her career minutes per game (21.6) … the East Anchorage HS product was the team's leading percentage shooter overall (.531, 43-81) and from 3FG range (.484, 15-31), scoring scored 7-plus points on eight occasions … Martin made the all-tourney team at the AT&T Hoops Classic with career-highs of 16 points, 8 rebounds and 40 minutes in the title-clinching win over Cal State-LA, and she was named the Most Inspirational Player for the third straight year at UAA's annual team banquet.

MORE PLAYER NOTES: Jr. G/F Kylie Burns averaged 13.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists during UAA's 9-2 stretch to end the regular season, shooting .361 from 3FG range … the Kansas City, Kan., native moved up to 19th in the GNAC scoring race at 10.6 ppg, boosted by 105 points (15.0 ppg) during UAA's 7-game win streak … Burns also ranked among the league leaders in rebounding (6th, 7.3 rpg), FT% (13th, .743) and minutes (5th, 33.4 mpg) … Burns grabbed 8-plus rebounds on 11 occasions this year and scored double figures 13 times, including 20-plus efforts against SPU and UAF … in November, Burns made the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team, and she was the GNAC's Red Lion Player of the Week after the Feb. 7-9 home wins over SPU and MSUB … Fr. G Jessica Madison become one of UAA's most reliable offensive threats, scoring double figures in 11 of the last 18 contests and capturing GNAC Freshman of the Year honors … the Port Angeles, Wash., product averaged 9.6 points overall, improving to 10.3 ppg in GNAC contests … in the GNAC stats, Madison was 15th in FG% (.431) and 20th in 3FG% (.316) … a redshirt last year, she set UAA's freshman record with 36 3FGs made, along with other rookie marks of 6th in points (258) and 8th in both scoring average and FGs made (94) … Fr. G Jenna Buchanan shot .571 (36-63) from the field and .469 (15-32) from long range over the final nine games to finish 12th in FG% (.445) and 10th in 3FG% (.341) in the GNAC overall stats … the 2012 Alaska 3A Player of the Year from Galena scored double figures nine times as a rookie, and ranks 3rd on the team in rebounding at 4.2 rpg … with 29 treys on the year, Buchanan tied for 3rd on the Seawolf rookie list, trailing only Madison and former record-holder Limor Pelleg (30 in 2005-06) … the Seawolves learned Feb. 14 that So. G Alli Madison would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury … the Seattle (Kennedy HS) product played in 14 games this year, averaging 9.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 1.7 apg … Madison — no relation to Jessica — was the GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week after UAA's road wins over WOU and St. Martin's, Jan. 24-26, averaging 16.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, and 2.0 spg in those contests.

McCARTHY MAKES DEBUT: The ninth head coach to roam the sidelines for UAA women's basketball, Ryan McCarthy made his Seawolf debut in 2012-13 … formerly an assistant at GNAC rival Northwest Nazarene, McCarthy now has a 31-23 overall record as a head coach after two seasons, having served in an interim capacity at NNU in 2010-11 … McCarthy was assisted by first-year staff members RyAnne Ridge and Shaina Afoa.

WEST REGION RANKINGS: The Seawolves made an appearance in the second of the three West Region polls in 2012-13, jumping to No. 9 with one game left in the regular season (Feb. 27 poll). It marked the seventh straight year UAA has appeared in at least one regional poll.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED: Defending champion UAA did somewhat better than prognosticated by the league's 10 coaches, finishing two spots ahead of their 5th-place showing in the 2012-13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball preseason poll … here is a look at October's poll, with actual finish denoted:

2012-13 GNAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk Team (1st-pl. votes)   Pts Actual
1. Western Washington (7) 96 1st
2. Simon Fraser (3)       93 2nd
3. Seattle Pacific        76 6th
4. Montana State Billings 63 3rd-t
5. Alaska Anchorage       57 3rd-t
6. Northwest Nazarene     56 3rd-t
7. Central Washington     47 8th
8. Western Oregon         30 9th-t
9. Saint Martin's         18 7th
10. Alaska Fairbanks      14 9th-t
(Points awarded on 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.)

REGULAR-SEASON TOURNAMENT RECAPS
CARRS/SAFEWAY GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT: UAA placed runner-up in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout for the second time in the last three tournaments, beating North Dakota State, 73-47, before losing to Utah State, 67-57 in the championship game, Nov. 20-21 at Sullivan Arena … in the first game, the Seawolves got 25 points (8-13 FG, 4-7 3FG, 5-6 FT), 9 rebounds and 3 assists from Sr. F Alysa Horn as they sank a Shootout-record and school-record-tying 14 three-pointers against the Bison … Sr. PG Sasha King had 21 points (5-12 3FG, 6-6 FT), 7 assists and 3 steals in the victory, while Jr. G Kylie Burns tallied 10 points and 5 rebounds … in the title game, Burns had 14 points and 8 rebounds, but the Seawolves could not contain tourney MVP Devyn Christensen as the Aggies' guard tallied 32 points, 4 assists and 4 steals … Fr. G Jessica Madison came off the bench for 12 points (4-6 3FG), but she was the only Seawolf to shoot better than 50 percent … Horn led the way with a game-high 10 rebounds for her seventh career double-figure effort … Burns and Horn were both selected to the All-Tournament Team.

AT&T HOOPS CLASSIC: The Seawolves swept to the title of their own AT&T Hoops Classic, Dec. 17-19, with wins over BYU-Hawaii (100-68), Eastern New Mexico (82-40) and Cal State-LA (66-56) … in the first game, Sr. PG Sasha King and Sr. F Alysa Horn combined for 52 points in as UAA reached the century mark for the first time in just over one year … the Seawolves also got 13 points from Fr. G Jessica Madison as they shot a season-high 49 percent from the field in the matchup between NCAA Div. II West Region foes … King scored a then-career-high 27 points (10-15 FG, 3-5 3FG) and also matched her career-high for the third time with 11 assists, along with 5 rebounds and 5 steals … against ENMU, Horn scored 16 points and Fr. G Jenna Buchanan sparked a huge 2nd-half surge to help UAA outscore the Zias 48-14 over that final 20 minutes ... the Seawolves also got 14 points, 9 assists and 4 steals from King, while Buchanan scored 14 of her 15 points (6-8 FG) and grabbed all 5 of her steals after the break … Horn added 5 blocks — the most for a Seawolf since Rebecca Kielpinski had 6 in the 2009 NCAA Tournament ... in the finale, Horn had 21 points and 16 rebounds as UAA rode another strong 2nd-half performance to a key West Region victory over the Golden Eagles ... the Seawolves got 47 points and 27 rebounds from their trio of seniors, including career-highs of 16 points (6-7 FG) and 8 rebounds by Sr. G Jordan Martin ... the game was a rematch of a 2012 NCAA 1st Round game, won 65-56 by the Seawolves ... Horn grabbed 11 of her career-high 16 boards on the defensive end and added 3 blocked shots as she earned the Most Outstanding Player gold pan … King – an all-tourney selection along with Martin – finished with 10 points, 8 assists and a pair of steals, while Jessica Madison added nine points off the bench … UAA is now 9-0 all-time in four AT&T Hoops Classics, with all of its wins coming by double figures.

2012-13 SEAWOLF INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Jenna Buchanan
AT&T Hoops Classic Player of the Game vs. E. New Mexico, Dec. 18
Kylie Burns
Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team, Nov. 21
GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week, Feb. 4-10
GNAC All-Academic Team, Feb. 27
Alysa Horn
Preseason All-GNAC Team (unanimous), Oct. 25
Carrs/Safeway Player of the Game vs North Dakota State, Nov. 20
Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team, Nov. 21
AT&T Hoops Classic Most Outstanding Player, Dec. 19
GNAC Red Lion co-Player of the Week, Dec. 16-22
GNAC All-Academic Team, Feb. 27
Team co-Most Valuable Player, Apr. 12
All-GNAC Second Team, Mar. 5
Bill MacKay UAA Athlete of the Year nominee, Apr. 17
Sasha King
Preseason All-GNAC Team (unanimous), Oct. 25
GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week, Nov. 12-18
AT&T Hoops Classic Player of the Game vs. BYU-Hawaii, Dec. 17
AT&T Hoops Classic All-Tournament Team, Dec. 19
All-GNAC Second Team, Mar. 5
Team co-Most Valuable Player, Apr. 12
Alli Madison
GNAC Red Lion Player of the Week, Jan. 21-27
Jessica Madison
GNAC Freshman of the Year, Mar. 5
Most Improved Player, Apr. 12
Jordan Martin
AT&T Hoops Classic Player of the Game vs. Cal State LA, Dec. 19
AT&T Hoops Classic All-Tournament Team, Dec. 19
Most Inspirational Player, Apr. 12