Box score, play-by-play
 
CHICO, Calif. – The Seattle Pacific Falcons know they have to do a better job of hanging onto the ball. That didn't happen on Saturday night, as both the ball – and the ball game – got away from them.
 
Suzanna Ohlsen scored a career-high 24 points, and Katie Benson tied her career high with 24, but the Falcons got behind early and never were able to catch up in falling to Chico State on the final night of the CCAA-GNAC Challenge women's basketball tournament, 89-77.
 
Seattle Pacific (6-2) had a 7-4 lead early in the game when undefeated Chico State (6-0) ran off 10 straight points and never trailed again. The Wildcats, who had not won in four previous tries on their home court against SPU, gradually pushed the lead to double-digits, thanks in part to 16 Falcon turnovers. Chico converted those into 16 points on the way to a 48-30 halftime lead.
 
“We had five or six turnovers to start the game. We're down 26-19 with five minutes left in the half and within striking distance, and again, we have turnovers and they make lay-ups,” Seattle Pacific coach Julie Heisey said. “It changes everything. I told our kids, 'One possession at a time, you win or lose.'
 
“We do something negative, they do something positive, it changes things, and all of a sudden, we're down 18 at the half.”
 
No games are scheduled for this coming week. Seattle Pacific plays once more before Christmas, visiting Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, Calif., on Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m.
 
Sophomore guard Ohlsen (Monroe, Wash. / Monroe HS) tallied 21 of her 24 during the second half for SPU (6-2), and beat her previous career high of 20, which she set just last Saturday against Central Washington.
 
Junior forward Benson (Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS) previously hit for 24 last Dec. 3 at Western Washington. She was named to the all-tournament team, her second such honor this season.
 
Senior guard Michelle Teng (Bellevue, Wash. /Bellevue Christian HS) also had a career-best scoring night of 12 points. It was her first-ever double-figure performance.
 
“Michelle came in and did a fabulous job. That was a bright spot,” Heisey said.
 
Seattle Pacific never came closer than 16 during the second half. Chico State led by as many as 33 at 81-48 before the Falcons finished the game with a 29-8 surge. Ohlsen accounted for 19 of those points.
 
“We could have lost by 30, but to lose by 12 when you're down that far on the road, that showed a lot of fight at the end,” Heisey said. “Hopefully, we'll learn from our mistakes. Chico is a very good team. They hit huge shots. They're not a great 3-point team, but tonight, they hit 10. They did the things they do really well, and we hurt ourselves. We have things to work on, but the good part is, it's early in the season.”
 
The Wildcats shot 53.8 percent for the game (35 of 65) and were led by the career-high 25 points of Annie Ward, a sophomore making her first start. Ward got 18 of those from 3-point range, draining 6 of 9 from behind the arc. Chico hit 10 of 17 from downtown for the game in completing a sweep of its two GNAC opponents. On Friday, the Wildcats rallied from double digits down to beat No. 6-ranked Western Washington, 75-74.
 
SPU shot a respectable 47.4 percent (27 of 57) , hitting 40 percent (6 of 15) from 3-point range. But the Falcons finished with 25 turnovers, leading to 30 Chico State points.
 
For the seventh time in eight games, Seattle Pacific won the rebounding battle, this time by a 37-23 margin. Senior guard Rachel Murray (Eglington, Australia) led the way with eight. Benson grabbed six.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CCAA-GNAC Challenge
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Ackerman Gymnasium / Chico, Calif.
 
Chico State 89, Seattle Pacific 77
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (6-2)
Ohlsen 6-10 8-8 24, Callen 1-6 0-0 2, Murray 3-9 0-0 7, Barnes 1-4 0-2 2, Benson 8-15 7-8 24, Bowen 0-1 0-0 0, Teng 5-5 2-2 12, Lasconia 0-1 0-0 0, Pflaumer 1-3 0-0 2, Grager 1-1 0-0 2, Stephens 1-1 0-0 2, Butler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-57 17-20 77.
 
CHICO STATE (7-0)
Davidson-Mays 4-9 3-3 11, Ward 9-16 1-2 25, Hamilton 1-2 1-2 4, Miller 7-14 0-0 17, Dalthorp 7-12 2-2 16, Bull 2-3 0-0 4, Washingtoin 1-1 2-2 4, Messersmith 1-4 0-0 2, Riezebos 3-4 0-0 6. Totals 35-65 9-11 89.
 
Seattle Pacific      30           47           -- 77
Chico State           48            41           -- 89
 
3-point goals – SPU 6-15 (Ohlsen 4-5, Callen 0-3, Murray 1-3, Barnes 0-2, Benson 1-1, Bowen 0-1), Chico 10-17 (Ward 6-9, Hamilton 1-1, Miller 3-7). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – SPU 37 (Murray 8), Chico 23 (Dalthorp 5, Riezebos 5). Assists – SPU 18 (Bowen 5), Chico 28 (Miller 9). Turnovers – SPU 25, Chico 14. Total fouls – SPU 9, Chico 17. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 402.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 6-2. Chico State 7-0.
 
Next game – Seattle Pacific at Notre Dame de Namur, Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m.