Courtesy:: Michael Dinneen / UAA Athletics Junior forward Kelsie Gourdin drives to the hoop during Monday's win.
ANCHORAGE – Nicci Miller scored a career-high 23 points and fellow senior Tamar Gruwell tallied all 15 of her points in the first half Monday to lead 8th-ranked Alaska Anchorage to a 102-44 women’s basketball victory over Hawaii Hilo at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
The Seawolves (2-0) also got 11 points from Torle Nenbee and 10 from Sarah Herrin off the bench as they topped the century mark for the second straight night against the Vulcans (0-2).
The visitors were led by 10 points from guard Kirsty Imai.
After falling behind 9-0 in Sunday, the Vulcans got off to a better start in the rematch when Anchorage native Sheena Pio converted an early layup for a 5-4 lead.
But the Seawolves answered with 22-3 run behind the three-point shooting of Gruwell. The senior guard shot 6 of 8 from the field, including 3 of 5 behind the arc, along with five assists, two blocks and two steals.
Miller, meanwhile, shot 8 of 14 overall and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. The senior forward from Denver had set her previous career-high of 19 points on four occasions, including in Sunday’s 100-48 victory.
Junior wing Nikki Aden scored seven of her nine points in the first half as UAA built a 56-21 lead – the second-largest halftime advantage against a fellow Division II opponent in program history.
Nenbee, a junior transfer from Snow (Utah) College, sank 5 of 6 shots and dished four assists without a turnover in just 11 minutes. Herrin, a Nikiski native, also grabbed six rebounds and had three assists.
Senior point guard Kiki Taylor added five points, seven rebounds and a game-high six assists. The Seawolves’ 28 total assists and .574 field-goal percentage both mark UAA’s second-best totals under 4th-year head coach Tim Moser.
UAA improved its home-court winning streak to 21 at the WFSC and 23 overall as it approaches the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, Nov. 24-25, at Sullivan Arena. The Seawolves will challenge Division I Coastal Carolina in their first-round matchup at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, before facing either Cincinnati or Western Carolina on Wednesday. The Seawolves are the three-time defending champions of their flagship tournament.
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Courtesy:: Michael Dinneen / UAA Athletics
