ANCHORAGE -- The second-ranked Alaska Anchorage Seawolves took up their intensity -- and took down the 14th-ranked Seattle Pacific women's basketball team on Saturday night.
The Falcons led from the opening whistle and were up by as many as 16 points early in the second half, but the Seawolves stormed back for a 53-49 Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory at Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
Senior forward Kelsey Burns (Seattle/Kennedy HS) pumped in 16 points for the Falcons (12-3, 5-1 GNAC), and senior center Kelsey Hill (Portland, Ore.) had 10 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
But that wasn't enough to fend off Anchorage, which won its 16th straight game and ended SPU's six-game winning streak.
“It was two completely different halves. In the second half, we got out-hustled and out-rebounded,” said Falcons coach Julie van Beek, whose team had a 30-20 halftime lead. “We got soft on defense. They came out in the second half and their intensity level went up another notch.”
Nicci Miller led Alaska Anchorage (18-1, 5-0 GNAC) with 15 points, and Ruby Williams scored 10, all in the second half. Rebecca Kielpinski, the two-time GNAC Player of the Year, was limited to seven points, but pulled down 11 rebounds.
Seattle Pacific went 7 minutes and 33 seconds without a point after taking a 36-20 lead early in the second half. A turnaround 15-footer from the right corner by Burns ended the dry spell and restored the Falcons' lead to nine at 38-29 with 11:06 to play.
SPU stayed in front until the Seawolves (5-0, 18-1) finally tied it, 44-44, at the 4:07 mark. Anchorage went ahead for the first time at 48-46 on turnaround two-footer from straight in front by Miller with 1:42 remaining.
“We hit some big shots to start the second half. But our defense wasn't as aggressive, and they got a lot of offensive rebounds,” van Beek said. “That gave them hope -- we never put them away.”
The Falcons regained the lead for the final time with 1:20 remaining when Maddie Maloney (Issaquah, Wash./Skyline HS) drained a 3-pointer from the left corner.
Tamar Gruwell responded almost immediately with a 3-pointer, putting the Seawolves in front for good at 51-49 with 1:03 to play.
“Their intensity went up, and we kind of got a little out of sync,” van Beek said. “We're still a pretty young team. But it's like I said the other night (after a 55-50 victory at Alaska Fairbanks): It was a good test. We have some things to work on and improve on. And (unlike last year when Anchorage beat the Falcons in the regional title game), this isn't the last game of the season.”
Anchorage, which went to the Division II Final Four last year, was the first team since late in the 2006-07 campaign to beat the Falcons in a regular-season GNAC game. Seattle Pacific had won 24 straight against conference opponents.
The Seawolves, who visit Brougham Pavilion on Feb. 19, likely will climb into the No. 1 spot in next week's national Division II coaches poll. Northern Kentucky, which has been No. 1 all season, lost at home to Quincy on Saturday, 66-57.
Seattle Pacific returns to action next Thursday in Bellingham against Western Washington. The Falcons then will be in Brougham next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to begin a Homecoming doubleheader. SPU plays Montana State Billings, then the men take the court at 3:30 p.m. to take on Central Washington.
NCAA Women's Basketball
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wells Fargo Sports Complex, Anchorage, Alaska
(No. 2) Alaska Anchorage 53, (No. 14) Seattle Pacific 49
SEATTLE PACIFIC (12-3, 5-1 GNAC)
Burns 6-13 0-0 16, Hil 5-10 0-0 10, Henderson 3-10 2-2 10, Reich 2-7 0-0 4, Hoisington 2-4 0-0 4, Maloney 1-5 0-0 3, Harazin 0-3 2-2 2, Rohrbach 0-4 0-2 0, Sims 0-2 0-0 0.Totals 19-58 4-6 49
ALASKA ANCHORAGE (18-1, 5-0 GNAC)
Miller 6-14 1-2 15, Williams 4-8 2-2 10, Thiel2-2 2-2 6, Kielpinski 2-9 3-=5 7, Basova 2-3 0-0 6, Gruwell 1-7 2-2 5, Johansson 1-2 0-2 2, Harris 0-7 0-0 0, Aden 0-1 0-2 0, Dekel 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor 0-3 0-4 0. Totals 18-56 10-21 53.
Seattle Pacific.........30 19 -- 49
Alaska Anchorage........20 33 -- 53
3-point goals -- SPU 7-17 Burns 4-7, Hill 0-1, Henderson 2-5, Maloney 1-2, Harazin 0-1, Rohrbach 0-1), UAA 7-15 (Miller 2-3, Thiel 2-2, Basova 2-2, Gruwell 1-6, Harris 0-2. Fouled out -- None. Rebounds -- SPU 13 (Hill 10), UAA 20 (Kielpinski 11). Assists -- SPU 13 (Maloney 5), UAA 14 (Thiel 6). Technical fouls -- None. Total fouls -- SPU 14, UAA 10. A -- 856
