LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 15th-ranked Seattle Pacific women's basketball team used a 7-0 run over the final three minutes to hold off 3rd-ranked UC San Diego by a 75-65 score during day one of the CCAA/GNAC Classic on Friday evening in RIMAC Arena. With the win the Falcons improve to 8-0 on the season while the Tritons fall to 9-2.
Both of UCSD's losses this year have come to unbeaten teams, the first was 65-57 loss on December 18th to Central Washington. With that win, the Wildcats also improved to 8-0.
The Falcons came out ready to play, taking a 10-2 lead through the first three minutes of the game and showing no signs of rust after the Christmas break. That lead would increase to 24-14 at the 12:25 mark before UCSD went on a 14-4 run to knot the score at 28 apiece on a Meaghan Noud 3-pointer with five minutes to go in the first half. The two teams would exchange baskets until a Kelsey Hill layup with 14 seconds on the clock gave SPU a 35-33 lead at the intermission.
Seattle Pacific opened up the second half with a 7-2 run, but the Tritons answered right back by scoring 11 of the next 13 points to take a 46-44 lead at the 15:55 mark. Neither team would take command until Jackie Hollands hit a 3-pointer and was followed by a Daesha Henderson layup that gave SPU a 5-point advantage that it would not relinquish.
UCSD would get within one on a Michelle Osier layup, making the score 64-63 in favor of SPU with 4:41 to go. From that point on, however, the Falcons would out-score the Tritons by an 11-2 margin to secure the 10-point victory.
SPU dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Tritons by a 45-26 margin, including a 30-15 advantage on the defensive end. UCSD forced 23 Falcon turnovers, leading to 12 more shots from the floor, but a .381 shooting percentage along with 22-9 deficit in free throws doomed the Tritons.
Hollands led the Falcons on the night with her 21 points whlie Kelsey Hill added 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Beth Christensen chipped in with 10 points and eight assists.
Noud scored a game-high 23 points for the Tritons while Osier and Kaycie Bull notched 10 points apiece. Erin Noonan added nine points and seven assists while Alexis Gaskin recorded eight points and six rebounds.
Both teams will return to action on Saturday during day two of the CCAA/GNAC Classic. Seattle Pacific will take on Cal Poly Pomona at 5 p.m. and will be followed by the UCSD ? Western Washington game at 7 p.m.
