FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A strong defensive effort from the Saints inched them one step closer to securing the GNAC regular season title, knocking off Alaska 74-59 on Thursday night.
Limiting an opponent to under 60 points for the fifth time this season, the Saints (18-7, 11-5 GNAC) stretched their win streak to four straight games.
Alex Schumacher led the way offensively, scoring a game-high 20 points, along with five rebounds, and six assists.
Brett Reed,
Kyle Greeley, and
Champ Spencer each reached the double-digit point mark as well with Reed, and Greeley combining for 15 rebounds.
Alaska controlled the opening minutes of the game, jumping out to a quick 15-8 lead. The Nanooks' lead touched as many as eight before the Saints began locking down and converting baskets.
By the 7:30 mark in the first half, the Saints had erased the eight-point deficit, and took the lead, capped off by a 3-pointer from
Christian Haffner. Alaska and Saint Martin's locked score twice more before the Saints took the lead on one of four 3-pointers from Spencer at 4:27 minute mark. By halftime, the Saints owned a nine-point lead.
A quick 3-pointer from Greeley to open the second half extended the lead into double-figures for the first time. The Nanooks managed to trim the lead down to six mid-way through the second half before another Saints' run sealed the game.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Schumacher and Spencer quickly doubled the lead back to 12, and the Saints coasted down the stretch. Alaska had no answer for the defense of Saint Martin's, and the Saints wrapped up the comfortable 15-point win on the road.
With Alaska Anchorage's loss on Thursday at home to Western Oregon, the Saints move into a solid lead for first place in the GNAC standings. The Saints are looking for their second regular season title in the last three full seasons, the other coming in 2019.
The Saints return to action for one final regular season game on Saturday, taking on Alaska Anchorage at 8:30 PM. Live stats and video will be available on smusaints.com.
