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FAIRBANKS, Alaska – When things aren't going your way, well …
 
… they're just aren't.
 
Jaylee Mays converted a traditional three-point play with 6.3 seconds left on Saturday night as Alaska Fairbanks came from behind in the final 15 seconds to beat Seattle Pacific in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball game at The Patty Center, 58-56.
 
The Falcons (6-11, 3-7 GNAC), who have lost seven straight, got a career-high 16 points from senior center Molly Grager (Kirkland, Wash. / Juanita HS). Sophomore forward Courtney Hollander had 14 points and 12 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year.
 
But what would have been a much-needed notch in the win column fell 15 seconds short.
 
"We had opportunities – that's where it's too bad that we let this one go," coach Julie Heisey said. "You make a couple of lay-ups that we normally make, hit a few free throws that we normally make (SPU was just 4 of 11 at the line) … We have to control the things we can control."
 
A four-game homestand and the second half of conference play begin Thursday when Northwest Nazarene visits Brougham Pavilion at 7:00 p.m.
 
Seattle Pacific was down for most of the second half on Saturday, including a 48-40 deficit with 7:07 left in the game.
 
It was still 54-50 for the Nanooks (9-11, 4-6 GNAC) when the Falcons put six straight points on the board.
 
Junior forward Hannah Rodrigues (Eugene, Ore.) cut it to 54-52 with a lay-in off a feed from junior guard Brianne Lasconia. Then, Lasconia found Hollander for a turnaround five-foot banker from the left side for a 54-54 tie at the 46-second mark.

 

Those two switched roles on the next possession, as Lasconia broke wide open under the hoop, and Hollander hit her with a pin-point pass for a 56-54 lead and 15.5 seconds showing on the clock.
 
Fairbanks called timeout and took advantage of this year's new rule to advance the ball to front court. Mays, playing near the top of the key, took it into traffic and launched a 12-foot jumper from straight in front that banked in. She was fouled on the play and converted the free throw for a 57-56 lead at 6.3 seconds.
 
That was the last of the six ties and 12 lead changes.
 
Seattle Pacific took timeout to set up a play. Inbounding on the right side of front court, Rodrigues got the ball in to Hollander. She took it toward the hoop, but was whistled for the charge.
 
UAF's Jordan Wilson was fouled on the ensuing inbounds with 1.4 seconds left. She made her first free throw for 58-56, missed the second, but grabbed her own rebound and ran out the clock.
 
"We outscored them from the field, we out-rebounded them, we ran some things pretty well, and we adjusted well on defense," Heisey said. "We just have to make lay-ups and free throws."
 
Seattle Pacific had four more field goals (24-20), but the Nanooks had the decided edge at the foul line, draining 13 of 17 to SPU's 4 of 11.
 
The 12 rebounds for Hollander was part of SPU's 44-27 dominance of the boards. That included 20-8 at the offensive end, leading to a 19-7 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Grager's 16 points were two more than her previous career high of 14, set in the season-opening 82-58 victory at Humboldt State on Nov. 13. She also had seven rebounds on Saturday. She had six at the offensive end and got putback baskets on two of those.
 
 "I'm really proud of how we responded tonight," Heisey said. "We were down on Thursday (after an 82-47 loss at No. 1-ranked Alaska Anchorage), but we've been practicing really well. Our attitude has been good, our effort has been good. Some of the mistakes we've been making are due to our circumstances (with various injuries), and we have to fix those."
 
"Losing is draining, and winning is exhilarating," she added. "You have to have a little success to have some confidence."
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, January 23, 2016
The Patty Center / Fairbanks, Alaska
                                    
Alaska Fairbanks 58, Seattle Pacific 56
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (6-11, 3-7 GNAC)
Stacey Lukasiewicz 2-9 0-1 4, Jaylee Albert 1-2 0-0 3, Brianne Lasconia 3-6 2-2 9, Courtney Hollander 6-17 1-2 14, Lindsay Lee 1-5 1-2 4, Molly Grager 8-13 0-4 16, Hannah Rodrigues 3-7 0-0 6, Erica Pagano 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-60 4-11 56.
 
ALASKA FAIRBANKS (9-11, 4-6 GNAC)
Victoria Milton 1-3 0-0 2, Gabriela Jimenez 0-1 0-0 0, McClain Williams 1-2 0-0 3, Jaylee Mays 4-12 3-3 14, Brianna Kirk 0-0 0-0 0, Arinesha Smith 3-5 1-2 8, Jordan Wilson 6-10 3-4 15, Autumn Childers 1-2 0-0 2, Cassi Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Kaillee Skjold 4-12 5-6 13, Marian Wamsley 0-3 1-2 1. Totals 20-50 13-17 58.
 
Seattle Pacific                     14           16             8            18           -- 56
Alaska Fairbanks               18           11           13           16           -- 58
 
3-point goals – SPU 4-11 (Lukasiewicz 0-1, Albert 1-2, Lasconia 10-1, Hollander 1-2, Lee 1-4, Rodrigues 0-1), UAF 5-14 (Jimenez 0-1, Williams 1-2, Mays 3-9, Smith 1-1, Skjold 0-1). Fouled out – SPU: Lukasiewicz. Rebounds – SPU 44 (Hollander 12), UAF 27 (Skjold 7). Assists – SPU 18 (Lasconia 6), UAF 13 (Mays 3, Smith 3). Turnovers – SPU 19, UAF 14. Attendance – 246.
 
 
Next game --        Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
                                Thursday, Jan. 28     7:00 p.m.
                                Brougham Pavilion