9th-ranked UAA women’s basketball team drops guard for a quarter but bounces back to improve to 5-0

The University of Anchorage Alaska women’s basketball team played three very different quarters of basketball on the way to a comfortable lead down the stretch of a 62-53 victory over Winston-Salem State on Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Defensive excellence gave way to the Rams climbing right back into it before the Seawolves started firing on all cylinders after halftime. UAA held the Rams to a single score in the first quarter on the way to a 12-2 advantage. But they followed that up by being outscored 16-10 and went into halftime up by just four points, 22-18.

At that point, the nation’s ninth-ranked Division II team buckled down to outscore the Rams 24-9 in the third period, and the Seawolves (5-0) kept their unbeaten start to the season intact.

Three Seawolves hit double figures in scoring and combined to carry the team offensively. Nicole Pinckney and Lauren Johnson each scored a team-high 14 points while 6-foot center Tennae Voliva, an East High graduate, produced 11 points and a team-best eight rebounds.

The Rams (3-3) were paced for a second consecutive night by Melody Prichard, who scored 13 points. Brooke Spaulding added 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Laichelle Sparrow totaled eight points and a game-high 10 boards.

In Friday’s series opener against Winston-Salem State, UAA dominated from the outset on the way to a 73-46 triumph.

The Seawolves, who extended their home win streak to a program-record 32 games, next play at Saint Martin’s on Dec. 2.