The UAA women's basketball team really is starting over.
One of the last remnants of the UAA women's basketball team's old regime vanished Friday night when its home-court winning streak ended.
Colorado School of Mines tripped the Seawolves 80-74 in a season-opening game that marked the debut of a new coach and new lineup for UAA, ending the Seawolves' 22-game winning streak at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
The outcome qualified as an upset, because UAA was ranked 22nd in the preseason NCAA Division II national rankings.
Colorado Mines scored the final seven points of the game to spoil the debut of first-year coach Ryan McCarthy, who inherited only a few players from Tim Moser, the coach who in six years guided UAA to national prominence.
UAA's last lead came with 2 minutes, 35 seconds left when Alysa Horn, one of only two players who played meaningful minutes last season, scored a layup to put UAA ahead 74-73.
Colorado Mines grabbed the lead at 1:51 when Allie Grazulis hit a layup. That triggered a 7-0 run for the Orediggers, who benefitted from three turnovers and five missed shots by UAA during the span.
Grazulis is one who got away -- she's a 5-foot-11 forward who used to star for Colony High. She finished with 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting, a game-high nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Angie Charchalis, a 5-5 guard, pumped in 31 points for the Orediggers, an effort that included 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. She and Grazulis helped the Orediggers shoot an impressive 49.2 percent.
Horn finished with 18 points and three others hit double figures for the Seawolves -- Sasha King (12 points, but 0 of 8 from 3-point range), Mariesha Harris (12 points) and Jenna Buchanan (10 points).
It was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than nine points. The game was tied eight times and the lead changed hands six times.
King added nine assists and five steals for UAA and backcourt mate Harris, a junior newcomer, had six rebounds, two assists, four steals and no turnovers in 34 minutes. Buchanan, of freshman from Galena, made a nice debut with 4-of-8 shooting.
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES (80) — Gazulis 8-11 4-5 20, Langas 1-2 0-0 2, Helbig 1-7 0-0 3, Gallo 4-7 0-1 10, Charchalis 10-20 6-8 31, McBain 0-1 0-0 0, Skinner 4-4 2-4 12, Rusk 0-3 0-0 0, Martin 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 29-59 12-18 80.
UAA (74) — Horn 6-10 6-10 18, Harris 5-13 2-2 13, Buchanan 4-8 0-0 10, King 4-19 4-7 12, Burns 2-3 2-2 8, Madison 1-5 1-2 4, Martin 2-2 2-3 7, Madison 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 25-62 17-26 74.
Colorado Mines 38 42 — 80
UAA 42 32 — 74
3-point goals — Colorado Mines 10-22 (Helbig 1-3, Gallo 2-5, Charchalis 5-9, Skinner 2-2, Rusk 0-3), UAA 7-20 (Horn 0-2, Buchanan 2-3, King 0-8, Burns 2-2, A. Madison 1-2, Martin 1-1, J. Madison 1-2). Rebounds — Colorado Mines 39 (Grazulis 9), UAA 35 (Horns 6, Harris 6). Total fouls — Colorado Mines 20, UAA 17. Fouled out — Gallo. Assists — Colorado Mines 22 (Charchalis 6), UAA 17 (Burns 4). Turnovers — Colorado Mines 23 (Helbig 7), UAA 18 (Horn 6). Blocked shots — Colorado Mines 3. Steals — Colorado Mines 6, UAA 14 (King 5). Referees — McNew, Butler, Revette. A — 676.
Anchorage Daily News