Box Score FAIRBANKS, Alaska – It was a frigid 19 degrees outside American Airlines Arena and Cal State San Bernardino shot a cold 29 percent from the field Friday night as the host University of Alaska, Fairbanks defeated the Yotes 70-62.
It was the first loss in three outings this season for CSUSB, who will face Multnomah University of Portland, Ore. in their second game of the McKinley Bank-Northstar Invitational Tournament at noon Saturday. Multnomah (2-3) defeated Covenant College, Georgia, 92-47 in the first game of the night.
While the Yotes had not played since going 2-0 in the Cross Conference Tournament on Nov. 10-11, the Nanooks spent eight games on the road, including two last weekend, losing all eight and it was obvious they were glad to be home.
Auren Isaacson, a senior transfer from Cal State Dominguez Hills, provided the scoring spark for the Yotes with a season-high 20 points, including three 3-pointers.
Destiny Jackson, who averaged 19.5 points in wins over Biola and Concordia Irvine, managed 14 points, making four of 13 shots, five free throws, dishing three assists and making a pair of steals.
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Mia Dufresne finished with 12 points, six rebounds, one blocked shot and three steals.
Isabel Arango, a transfer from East Los Angeles College, contributed six points and six rebounds.
Jaida Jackson had a tough night shooting, making just one of 11 attempts but contributed eight rebounds to go with five points.
Both teams struggled from the start, with the Yotes leading 13-12 after the first 10-minute quarter despite making just five of 22 shots (22.7 percent), but defensively picked up five steals to earn seven of their points off turnovers.
Isaacson's three-point play gave the Yotes a 16-12 advance and an Isaacson three-pointer made it 19-14. A free throw by
Destiny Jackson gave CSUSB its biggest lead at 20-14. The Nanooks rallied cut the lead to 23-22 on buckets by Kayla Johnson and Ekko Hopkins and took the lead at 25-23 on a three-pointer by Emma McKenney. Dufresne grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the putback for a 25-25 halftime deadlock.
CSUSB made just four of 21 shots from the floor (19 percent) and hit just one of six 3-point attempts (16 percent) and made just three of seven free throws, but were still in the game despite the Nanooks shooting 54 percent for the quarter (six of 11).
The half ended with the Yotes shooting just 20.9 percent for the first 20 minutes while the Nanooks hit 42 percent of their 26 shots. Both teams finished the half with 25 rebounds. CSUSB scored 11 points off turnovers in the half.
In the third period, after Dufresne made a layup off an Arango defensive rebound to tie the game at 31-all, the Nanooks scored eight straight points including a three -pointer by Emma Wass for a 39-31 advantage with 3:10 left in the quarter.
Dufresne's three-point play (layup and foul shot), an Isaacson jumper and Arango's jumper follower her defensive rebound made it 39-38 with nine seconds remaining in the period, but Taryn Lindsey hit a jumper with one second left for a 41-38 Fairbanks lead heading to the fourth stanza.
The Yotes improved their shooting to 35 percent in the period, hitting six of 17 from the floor while Fairbanks tallied six of 14 attempts with 12 rebounds, 11 of them defensive in the period. CSUSB's overall shooting moved up to 25 percent (15 of 60), but led the Nanooks on the offensive boards, grabbing 11 to the host's six. But the Yotes trailed badly on the defensive boards, outrebounded 32-17 through three periods.
Isaacson again sparked the Yotes, draining a three-pointer to tie the game at 41-41 less than a minute into the final quarter. An Arango jumper tied the game again at 45-all at the 6:51 mark. The Nanooks responded with a 9-0 run to lead 54-45 on a pair of free throws by Ellen Silva.
The lead expanded to 10 points at 60-50 on a layup by Wass with 1:53 left in the game.
Jaida Jackson made a pair of free throws to narrow the lead to seven at 64-57 with 38 seconds left but back-t0-back baskets by Lindsey closed the door.
It was the most productive quarter of the night for the Yotes, scoring 24 points, making eight of 19 shots (42 percent), but the Nanooks shot 64 percent (nine of 14) for their first win of the season.
McKenney led the Nanooks with 17 points and six assists. Wass was tough at both ends of the court with 14 points and 15 rebounds and Silva added 12 points to go with a game-high 16 rebounds and two blocked shots. Johnson added 12 points and Lindsey nine.
The victory was the first time Alaska Fairbanks had beaten the Yotes. They met twice previously -- on Dec. 6, 2009 and Jan. 5, 2015 -- with CSUSB the victor each time.
