Box Score
        Box score, play-by-play

FRESNO, Calif. – Katie Benson is already in the double-double column. And the Seattle Pacific Falcons are in the win column …
 
… for the 700^th time in school history
 
Katie Benson put up 20 points and 10 rebounds on Friday night, helping SPU open the season by hanging on for a 71-66 victory against Humboldt State in the West Region Crossover Classic.
 
SPU, which began women's basketball in the 1974-75 season, is now 700-365 all-time (.657 winning percentage). This is the second time the Falcons have won a milestone game under the guidance of head coach Julie Heisey. She also was at the helm for the 600^th win, a 76-56 rout at Chico State on Dec. 13, 2008.
 
The double-double for senior forward Benson (Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS) was the 11th of her career. She got half of her points from the foul line, hitting 10 of 16.
 
Senior guard Aubree Callen (Jerome, Idaho) added 18 points for SPU (1-0), and junior guard Suzanna Ohlsen (Monroe, Wash. / Monroe HS) chipped in 11.
 
The Falcons were up 29-28 at halftime, getting the go-ahead basket from sophomore forward Maddey Pflaumer (Issaquah, Wash. / Issaquah HS) with 16 seconds left. They never trailed again, opening the second half on a 14-4 scoring run as forced Humboldt State to miss 13 of its first 15 shots after the break.
 
SPU gradually expanded the lead to as many as 17 point at 53-36 with 9:46 to play. It was still a 13-point bulge at 67-54 at the 2:25 mark before the Lumberjacks closed the game on a 12-5 run.
 
Seattle Pacific had a decided advantage at the free throw line, hitting 17 of 26. Humboldt State went to the line nine times, draining eight. SPU, with Benson leading the way, also won the boards, 43-36.
 
The Falcons are now 30-9 in season-opening games, including their past two and14 of the last 15. They have won 25 of 26 games all-time against Humboldt State.
 
Seattle Pacific finishes the tournament on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against host Fresno Pacific. The Sunbirds were routed by Western Washington on Friday, 75-46.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
West Region Crossover Classic
Friday, November 8, 2013
Special Events Center / Fresno, Calif.
 
Seattle Pacific 71, Humboldt State 66
 
HUMBOLDT STATE (0-1)
Jae Shin 11-17 0-0 28, Kersey Wilcos 3-13 7-7 13, Kelly Kime 4-10 0-0 8, Elle Anderson 1-1 0-0 3, Danielle Gaumer 2-9 0-0 5, Megan Shields 2-7 0-0 4, Sumayyah Wiggins 2-8 0-0 4, Elle Anderson 1-1 0-0 3, Jessica Johnson 0-1 1-2 1, Amanda Kunst 0-0 0-0 0, Jain Tuey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-67 8-9 66.
 
SEATTLE PACIFC (1-0)
Katie Benson 5-13 10-16 20, Aubree Callen 6-11 3-4 18, Suzanna Ohlsen 4-7 3-3 11, Mechela Barnes 3-6 0-0 6, Betsy Kingma 2-10 0-0 5, Brianne Lasconia 2-5 0-0 4, Maddey Pflaumer 2-4 0-0 4,Molly Grager 1-3 0-0 2, Hannah Rodrigues 0-0 1-2 1, Riley Butler 0-0 0-0 0, Stacey Lukasiewicz 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 17-26 71.
 
Humboldt State                    28           38           -- 66
Seattle Pacific                      29           42           -- 71
 
3-point goals – HSU 8-26 (Shin 6-8, Anderson 1-1, Gaumer 1-5, Shields 0-3, Tuey 0-1, Kime 0-3, Wilcox 0-5), SPU 4-14 (Callen 3-5, Kingma 1-4, Barnes 0-1, Lasconia 0-2, Ohlsen 0-1, Benson 0-1. Fouled out – None. Total fouls – HSU 16, SPU 19. Rebounds – HSU 37 (Kime 9), SPU 43 (Benson 10). Assists – HSU 17 (Wilcox 9), SPU 14 (Benson 3, Lasconia 3). Turnovers – HSU 19, SPU 20. Technical fouls – None. A – 140.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 1-0, Humboldt State 0-1.
 
Next game – Seattle Pacific at Fresno Pacific, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.