Box Score

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SEATTLE – A week-long Christmas break knocked the Seattle Pacific Falcons out of sync.
 
But three wins in the 10 days since coming back have knocked them right back into it.
 
Courtney Hollander poured in 17 points, and Julia Haining added a career-high 14 on Thursday night as 15th-ranked SPU pulled away during the fourth quarter to beat Montana State Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball game, 67-50.
 
The Falcons (13-1, 5-1 GNAC) led for all but 17 seconds in Brougham Pavilion on the way to finishing a month-long homestand during which they won six of the seven games. That included three out of four during the past eight days.

 

"Coming off of Christmas break, we did a really good job," coach Julie Heisey said. "I'm glad we were able to protect our home court. We lost one, but we responded well coming off of that loss and got better. We've had some really good moments in the last two games that show we're getting that rhythm back that we had before Christmas."
 
SPU returns to the road next week, visiting Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C., on Thursday, Jan.12, and Western Washington at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham next Saturday the 14th, both at 7:00 p.m.
 
Those will be the first two of three straight games against the GNAC's leading contenders. The last of those will be back in Brougham on Thursday, Jan. 19, against current No. 7-ranked Alaska Anchorage at 7:00 p.m.
 
"These next three teams are the top three teams in the (conference). They're always good games and competitive," said senior guard Brianne Lasconia, who contributed 11 points off the bench on Thursday. "We're really excited to get tested and show what we're made of."
 
Junior forward Hollander (Lynden, Wash. / Lynden Christian HS) hit 6 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point arc. She also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, handed out three assists, and blocked a shot.
 
Sophomore center Haining (Lynnwood, Wash. / Inglemoor HS) beat her previous career high of 13 points, which she set last Feb.19 against Alaska Anchorage. Thursday's output was Haining's first double-digit scoring game of the season.

 

Junior guard Jordan McPhee chipped in seven points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a career-high four blocked shots. Her previous high for blocks was two.
 
The 11 points for Lasconia (Seattle / Shorecrest HS) and 14 for Haining off the bench were part of a 34-point, 13-rebound production from SPU's reserves.
 
"Our depth has been a factor," Heisey said. "No question our starters gave us a really good start, and our third quarter was excellent. It's nice to see Bri and Julia and Hannah (Rodrigues) come off the bench and contribute."
 
Seattle Pacific built an early six-point lead, then saw the Yellowjackets (4-9, 1-4 GNAC) come back to take a 14-13 edge with 20 seconds left in the first quarter.
 
Hollander answered with a 3-pointer that swished through with three seconds remaining, and the Falcons never trailed again.
 
SPU was up 10 at halftime, 33-23. A 10-0 scoring run boosted the margin to 22 points at 51-29 late in the third quarter.
 
Montana State Billings then went on a double-digit scoring run of its own spanning the third and fourth periods, putting 13 straight on the board to get within nine at 51-42 and 8:12 left.
 
The margin was still nine points at 54-45 when the Falcons rang up nine in a row to put it out of reach: two free throws by Hollander, a 3-pointer from the left corner by Lasconia off a crisp pass from Rachel Shim, two free throws by Haining, and a lay-in by Haining off a feed from Hollander.
 
SPU shot 45.3 percent for the game (24 of 53), including 50 percent (7 of 14) from downtown. Once the Falcons started getting to the line during the second half, they drained 12 of 14, hitting their first 10 in a row.
 
Billings hit just 31.6 percent (18 of 57), and was only 2 of 13 (15.4 percent) behind the arc.
 
Led by McPhee's four, Seattle Pacific had a season-high eight blocked shots, double its previous high. Shim earned five of the team's 18 assists on 24 baskets.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
(No. 15) Seattle Pacific 67, Montana State Billings 50
 
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS (4-9, 1-4 GNAC)
Tiana Hanson 5-8 6-7 16, Marissa Van Atta 3-9 3-3 10, Taylor Edwards 0-5 0-2 0, Lexi Prevost 0-3 0-00, Rylee Kane 5-16 1-3 11, Brina Hull 1-2 2-2 4, Jeanann Lemelin 1-4 0-0 2, Taylor Cunningham 1-5 0-0 2, Grace Weeks 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 18-57 12-17 50.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (13-1, 5-1 GNAC)
Erica Pagano 2-5 0-0 4, Stacey Lukasiewicz 0-1 0-0 0, Rachel Shim 2-5 0-0 5, Jordan McPhee 3-9 0-0 7, Courtney Hollander 6-12 2-2 17, Riley Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Jaylee Albert 0-2 0-0 0, Madison Wright 0-0 1-2 1, Julia Haining 5-6 4-4 14, Brianne Lasconia 3-6 3-4 11, Lindsay Lee 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Rodrigues 3-6 0-0 6, Carly Rataushk 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 24-53 12-14 67.
 
Montana State Billings      14             9           11           16           -- 50
Seattle Pacific                     16           17           18           16           -- 67
 
3-point goals – MSUB 2-13 (Hanson 0-2, Van Atta 1-1, Edwards 0-3, Prevost 0-2, Kane 0-2, Hull 0-1, Cunningham 0-1, Weeks 1-1), SPU 7-14 (Shim 1-1, McPhee 1-2, Hollander 3-4, Evans 0-1, Albert 0-2, Lasconia 2-4). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – MSUB 31 (Van Atta 8), SPU 39 (Hollander 8). Assists – MSUB 9 (Kane 6), SPU 18 (Shim 5). Turnovers – MSUB 13, SPU 15. Total fouls – MSUB 15, SPU 20. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 382.
 
 
Next game
Seattle Pacific at Simon Fraser
Thursday, Jan. 12     7:00 p.m.
West Gym / Burnaby, B.C.