NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball looks to get back on track the Last Frontier this weekend, visiting Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.
Game Information
NNU (3-5, 1-2 GNAC) at Alaska Fairbanks (3-6, 0-3 GNAC)
Thursday, Jan. 13 | 7:00 PM AKT | Fairbanks, Alaska | Alaska Airlines Gym
Live Video | Live Stats
NNU (3-5, 1-2 GNAC) at Alaska Anchorage (7-3, 2-1 GNAC)
Saturday, Jan. 15 | 5:15 PM AKT | Anchorage, Alaska | Alaska Airlines Center
Live Video | Live Stats
Nighthawks Notes
- NNU played their first game in nearly a month on Jan. 1, falling to CWU 89-76 at home. George Reidy led the Nighthawks with 20 points, while Gabriel Murphy had a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds. Tru Allen also notched 18 points. On the Wildcats' side, Xavier Smith just missed a double-double with 22 points and nine boards, while David Thompson added 21 points.
- The Nighthawks have struggled to open the season, falling in five of their eight games. Until the CWU loss last week, though, the other four losses were all by single digits.
- Murphy is averaging a double-double with 12.5 points and 11.4 rebounds a game, recording at least 10 of each in six of the eight contests. His rebounding mark leads the GNAC, while he also leads the conference with 1.8 blocks per game. He also ranks in the top 35 nationally in five categories, topped by his 4.50 offensive rebounds per game that is third in the country.
- Kobe Terashima ranks fifth in the conference with 4.5 assists per game, dishing out four or more in four of the eight games, including a season-high 10 in a double-double effort against Bushnell.
- Four players have started every game for the Nighthawks: Kobe Terashima, Tru Allen, George Reidy, and Gabe Murphy. The 4-spot has seen a bit of change, with James Nelson starting two games before injury, Christian Rose earning six starts, and Timothy TenKley receiving one start in the last game.
- Reidy is second on the team with 12.1 points per game while recording 4.0 rebounds per game. Rose and Allen are also in double figures with 10.4 and 10.1 points per game, respectively, with Rose second on the team at 5.0 rebounds per game and Allen fourth in the GNAC with 1.8 steals per game.
- As a team, the Nighthawks are third in the GNAC with a 40.9 field goal percentage defense, first in rebounding at 40.6 boards per game, second with 3.6 blocks per game, first with 13.9 offensive rebounds per game,
Series History
- Since first facing Alaska Fairbanks in 2002, NNU is 18-20. When traveling to Fairbanks, the Nighthawks are 8-11. However, NNU has won the last 4 matchups including a 94-52 win on February 15, 2020.
- When matched up with Alaska Anchorage, NNU is 15-24. When traveling to Anchorage, NNU is 4-15. The Nighthawks have dropped their last two contests against the Seawolves. When NNU last faced the Seawolves in Anchorage, they lost in a close contest 90-89 on February 13, 2020.
Scouting the Nanooks
- The Nanooks haven't gotten off to a good start either, going 0-3 in conference play and 3-6 overall.
- Shadeed Shabazz does it all for UAF, leading the conference with 20.2 points per game as well as averaging 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.8 steals while shooting 42% from the field, 33% from deep, and 82% from the free throw line.
- Coleman Sparling complements Shabazz on the interior, ranking fifth in the GNAC at 6.9 rebounds per game while also averaging 10.4 points and 2.4 assists per game.
- Quin Barnard (12.7) and Koby Huerta (11.7) are the other Nanooks averaging in double figures. Huerta is also fifth in the conference with a 45.9% clip from three-point range.
- Shabazz, Barnard, and Sparling are all in the top ten in the GNAC in minutes played this season.
- As a team, UAF is third in the GNAC with a 76.3 free-throw percentage, third with a 39.4 three point percentage, third with 7.7 steals per game, and fourth with a +2.78 turnover margin.
Scouting the Seawolves
- The Seawolves have been strong to open the season, going 7-3 overall and 2-1 in GNAC play. They have had their last four games postponed, with their last contest being an 88-83 win over Seattle Pacific on Dec. 30
- Tobin Karlberg and Hunter Sweet lead the team offensively, with Karlberg fifth in the conference at 17.0 points per game and Sweet sixth at 16.6 points per game. Sweet is also tied for sixth with 6.6 rebounds per game.
- David Rowlands leads the GNAC with 5.7 assists per contest and is second with a 85.7 free throw percentage. He is also third on the team with 14.9 points per game.
- Oggie Pantovic is second to NNU's Murphy in two categories with 9.7 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game while averaging 13.0 points per contest.
- As a team, the Seawolves are third in the GNAC with a 68.3 scoring defense, second in rebounding margin at +5.3, first in assists at 19.2 per game, first with a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio, and first with 11.3 made three-pointers per game.
