UAA Athletics

McNair does it all for 8th-ranked UAA women in victory over Billings

If UAA basketball fans don't have a nickname for Kian McNair yet, "Everywhere McNair" might work.

The junior guard made things happen on both ends of the court Thursday night to help the eighth-ranked Seawolves take a 73-63 win over Montana State-Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at the Alaska Airlines Center.

McNair by the numbers: Seven rebounds, six points, five assists, four steals, zero turnovers and 22 minutes of playing time. All of her points came off steals, and among her rebounds were four on the offensive end that helped the Seawolves pile up 21 second-chance points.

"Kian McNair's performance cannot be overlooked – her rebounding, decision-making and defensive intensity really made the difference between winning and losing this game," UAA coach Ryan McCarthy said in a press release.

Shelby Cloninger, a senior forward, came through with the second double-double of her career with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Hannah Wandersee, a junior center, added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Seawolves.

The victory secured a fourth-straight 20-win season for UAA, which improved to 20-2 overall and 13-1 in the GNAC.

UAA led most of the game but Billings (15-8, 8-5) never wilted. The Yellowjackets sliced UAA's led to three points with 90 seconds left, but UAA finished with a 7-0 run that included four points by Cloninger.

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"Shelby continues to be an elite scorer and rebounder," McCarthy said.

Billings was led by Alisha Breen, the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year. She had team-highs of 16 points and nine points but she was also guilty of four turnovers.

The Yellowjackets turned the ball over 20 times and took a 46-31 pounding on the boards. UAA's effort included 21 offensive rebounds.

Other top contributors for the Seawolves included freshman Sala Langi (9 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 6 rebounds), sophomore Yazmeen Goo (6 points, 5 rebounds after missing Tuesday's win over UAF with an injury) and junior Sydni Stallworth (5 points, 4 assists, 2 steals).

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