SEATTLE, Wa. (JAN 12) -
Libby Magnuson made a pair of free throws with seven seconds left and Kalhie Quinones three-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired, giving the 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team a 58-55 win over No. 7 University of Alaska Anchorage in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Saturday night at Brougham Pavilion.
Jackie Hollands scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half as the Falcons rallied from 12 points down with 15:32, winning a key early season conference game over the visiting Seawolves.
The Falcons (4-0 GNAC, 13-0 overall), took the lead for good over UAA off of a tip-in by
Melissa Reich with 4:57 remaining.
SPU had opportunities within the final three minutes to put the game away, but missed jumpers from
Kelsey Hill, a missed free throw by Hollands and two other missed shots from the field kept UAA (14-2, 3-1) nipping at the Falcons' heels.
UAA controlled the game early, holding SPU scoreless for the first seven minutes of the game. Rebecca Kieplinski scored nine first half points as the Seawolves took a 33-23 lead at the break.
Hollands provided the spark the Falcons needed in the second half. The Falcon senior sank three from long range in the second half, igniting a 16-3 run to put SPU in front with 8:15 left in the second half.
Magnuson finished with 13 points, nine of which came in the second half, and got all seven of her rebounds in the final 20 minutes as well. She was an impressive 7-8 from the charity line, and a perfect 6-6 in the second half.
In the battle of all-conference centers, Hill recorded 13 points and eight boards over 26 minutes, while Kielpinski had a game high 16 with eight rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes.
Quinones and Dasha Basova joined Kielpinski in double-digits, scoring 10 points each in the contest.
The Falcons shot 12 more free throws than UAA, and finished with an 81.0 percent average (17-21). SPU managed a 12-2 fast break point advantage, and had their bench held to a mere 10 points in the contest compared to UAA's 21; one of the first times this season the Falcons' bench has been outscored by their opponent's counterpart.
SPU, who sits undefeated atop the GNAC, will hit the road this coming week to square off against GNAC rivals Western Washington University (0-3, 3-12), and Central Washington University (1-2, 9-2). Both games will start at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
