FAIRBANKS, Alaska - ALASKA turned a 10-point second half deficit into a two point win on senior night in Fairbanks on Saturday afternoon. St.Pauls Tuff Knots Forward and 2007 SKABA MVP Nashorn Maynard led the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks to a narrow 77-75 win.
The Nanooks used 20 points and eight rebounds from the junior forward Nashorn and 18 points, five rebounds, from senior guard Emmanuel Jenkins to give them their second straight win.
Northwest Nazarene got 23 points, eight rebounds from Louie Beech as the Crusaders shot only 37% (24-of-65) from the field and hit 8-of-23 three-point chances.
The Nanooks held the lead most of the first half, by as many as seven, before the Crusaders went on a 23-8 run to end the half and take an eight point lead into the locker room.
Alaska was able to regain their lead at the 10:59 mark on a Clayton Edwin jump shot, which was followed by two free throws by the 6’-5” Maynard. The Maynard free throws capped off a 15-3 run for Alaska that slashed a 10 point Crusaders lead in six minutes.
The game came down to the wire, with the lead changing four times in the final two minutes, with the Nanooks finally coming out on top.
Beech hit two free throws with 49 seconds left that gave Northwest Nazarene a one point lead, but Jenkins countered to give Alaska the lead for good with a layup a possession later. Maynard made an acrobatic steal and hit two free throws to clinch the win.
Alaska out-rebounded the Crusaders 48-41 with Joe Powell pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds. Alaska also pulled down 16 offensive rebounds, three each by Powell and Maynard to pace the Nanooks.
Maynard leads the Nanooks in rebounds and blocked shots and is the 2nd leading scorer on the team averaging almost 18 ppg. The Tuff Knots forward is also the Alaska Conference 3 rd leading scorer and rebounder.
Alaska started the season 1-11 in conference play before winning three of their last four contests to finish 4-12 in the league.
