Box Score

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SEATTLE – Erica Pagano just wanted to play a game that mattered. And have fun doing it.
 
She got her wish on both counts.
 
Pagano scored a career-high 12 points – all during the first half – and Rachel Shim tallied a career-high 10 as the Seattle Pacific women had five players in double figures on Friday night to roll past Fresno Pacific in the season-opening Sodexo Tip-Off Classic, 90-39.
 
Junior center Pagano (Happy Valley, Ore.) had seven of the first nine points as SPU (1-0) had an early 8-0 scoring burst to open an 11-5 advantage in Brougham Pavilion and led the rest of the way.
 




"We loved having the scrimmages and stuff – it's fun, but it's always great to start the season off, and with a win, which we're really excited about," Pagano said. "It was just fun overall energy throughout. … We were just sharing the ball and rebounding, doing all the fundamental things we've been talking about in practice."
 
The Falcons conclude the tournament on Saturday against Humboldt State at 5:00 p.m. The Lumberjacks fell to Western Washington in Friday's first game, 91-49. Western and Fresno Pacific will tip off at 1:00 p.m.

 

"Everyone is excited for that first game, and I was really happy with our balanced scoring attack," Falcons head coach Julie Heisey said. "Especially in the first half, we had really good shot selection – 28 points in the paint, and the 3s we took were open and in rhythm. That's not to take away from (what we did in) the second half, but you always want to start well."
 
Senior guard Brianne Lasconia (Seattle / Shorecrest HS) added 11 points. Junior guard Jordan McPhee and junior forward Courtney Hollander added 10 points apiece.

 

Also going for a career-best scoring night was sophomore center Carly Rataushk (Kirkland, Wash. / Lake Washington HS). She had eight, hitting 4 of 6 from the floor and grabbing two rebounds.
 
Lasconia, whose four field goals included three from behind the arc, had a team-high five assists.
 
Pagano, who regularly came off the bench last season but now has earned a starting role, topped her previous career high of 11 points, set last January against Central Washington. She hit 4 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from the foul line.
 
In fact, her numbers were part of a very productive performances from SPU's post players. Pagano, Rataushk, and Julia Haining (Lynnwood, Wash. / Inglemoor HS) combined for 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting, and 15 rebounds. Haining came off the bench to lead the team with seven boards.
 
"Erica, Carly, and Julia spent a lot of time this summer working on their games, and you can tell that," Heisey said. "Carly came in really confident, Erica is just a different player now and got some nice low-post stuff and some cuts, and Julia made some good shots. They were active and played well together."
 
Shim (Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS) beat her previous best of nine points, which she hit twice, most recently last November against Fresno Pacific.
 
The Falcons took command of the game with 20 straight points bridging the first and second quarters, expanding a 15-9 lead to 35-9.
 
Seattle Pacific shot well most of the night, and finished at 52.5 percent, hitting 32 of 61. That included 50 percent from 3-point territory (10 of 20). Fresno Pacific was limited to 25 percent shooting (16 of 64), and was at just 15 percent (3 of 20) from downtown.
 
SPU dominated the boards, 50-25. In addition to Haning's seven, Pagano had six. Of the 14 players who got into the game, 12 of them grabbed at least one board. The Falcons had 18 assists, with 10 players earning at least one.

  
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Sodexo Tip-Off Classic
Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
Seattle Pacific 90, Fresno Pacific 39
 
FRESNO PACIFIC (0-1)
Megan Lee 1-8 0-0 2, Viviana Vasquez 1-2 0-0 2, Bree Alvarez 7-17 0-0 16, Kaysha Fox 1-3 0-0 2, Hannah Ramirez 1-7 0-0 3, Alex Green 0-6 2-2 2, Abrina Salas 2-9 0-0 4, Abigail Esparza 0-1 0-0 0, Landynn Munster 2-6 0-0 4, Ashley Cross 1-5 2-4 4. Totals 16-64 4-6 25.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (1-0)
Courtney Hollander 4-6 0-0 10, Erica Pagano 4-8 4-5 12, Stacey Lukasiewicz 1-6 0-0 2, Jaylee Albert 2-3 0-0 6, Jordan McPhee 4-5 2-2 10, Rachel Shim 3-4 2-2 10, Madi Hingston 1-3 2-2 5, Madison Wright 0-2 2-2 2, Julia Haining 3-6 0-2 6, Brianne Lasconia 4-6 0-0 11, Lindsay Lee 1-2 0-0 2, Hannah Rodrigues 1-4 0-0 2, Jane Grisley 0-0 4-6 4, Carly Rataushk 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 32-61 16-21 90.
 
Fresno Pacific       9             9             5           16           -- 39
Seattle Pacific     21           33           15           21           -- 90
 
Fouled out – None. 3-point goals – FPU 3-20 (Lee 0-5, Alvarez 2-4, Ramirez 1-6, Green 0-2, Salas 0-1, Munster 0-2), SPU 10-20 (Hollander 2-2, Pagano 0-1, Lukasiewicz 0-1, Jaylee Albert 2-3, Shim 2-3, Hingston 1-3, Lasconia 3-4, Lee 0-1, Rodrigues 0-2). Rebounds – FPU 25 (Ramirez 7), SPU 50 (Haining 7). Assists – FPU 3 (3 players with 1), SPU 18 (Lasconia 5).  Turnovers – FPU 21, SPU 22. Total fouls – FPU 21, SPU 14. Technical fouls – None. Attendance—275.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 1-0. Fresno Pacific 0-1.
 
 
Next game
Humboldt State at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, 5:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.