NAMPA, Idaho – Not once in the last 30 years of the storied Northwest Nazarene women's basketball program has a team started 8-0.

Until now.

The Nighthawks hammered No. 4 Alaska Anchorage 84-68 on Saturday in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at Johnson Sports Center.

"It's such a surreal feeling," NNU junior Avery Albrecht said. "I think the biggest part for us is we are realizing what our potential is when we love each other and share the ball and when we don't care who gets the credit."

That's a scary thought for upcoming opponents if this isn't even the Nighthawks at their best.

The victory means No. 15 NNU is the lone undefeated team in the GNAC through the first weekend of play and it avenges a 65-63 loss to the Seawolves in the NCAA Division II national tournament last season.

"We know they are a good team, but we know we are a really good team too," NNU senior Raquel Jardine said. "We wanted to show that out there tonight and perform with them."

NNU (8-0 overall, 2-0 GNAC) did more than just perform with the talented Seawolves (7-1, 1-1), they dominated defensively.

After Anchorage pulled within 44-37 early in the third quarter, the Nighthawks went on a 17-2 run to put the game away.

Albrecht started it with a three-point play and finished it with a pair of free throws for a 61-39 lead with 2 minutes, 2 seconds left in the quarter.

"I think maybe this is the best defense I've seen us play since I've been here," NNU coach Steve Steele said. "I think 95 percent of the game we were really aggressive on defense and trying to take them out of their offense."

The Seawolves were missing some weapons Saturday as starting point guard Yazmeen Goo has missed the last four games with a hand injury and they were without a pair of Division I transfers.

Despite those losses, Anchorage is still a formidable team thanks to senior post Hannah Wandersee and shooter Tara Thompson.

Wandersee finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite constant double teams, while Thompson had 16 points, including four 3-pointers.

In the end, though, the Nighthawks defense was too much. NNU forced 24 turnovers and drew four charges.

"Coach always preaches that we need to get all of our energy off defense," Albrecht said. "We need to take pride in every stop and I think we really emphasized that tonight."

Albrecht finished with a game-high 17 points and seven rebounds, while Jardine had 14 points and five rebounds. Ellie Logan added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, McKenna Walker had 11 points and Jordan Pinson had nine.

NNU is back in action at 7 p.m. Saturday in a nonconference matchup with Cal State Los Angeles.

Until then, the Nighthawks will savor a win against one of the best teams in the country. And then they will get back to work.

"It is a great start for us," Raquel Jardine said, "but there are more games ahead and we have to get prepared for them."