Box Score

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NAMPA, Idaho – Throughout the week, coach Julie Heisey had her Seattle Pacific women's basketball team play some games at the free throw line. Long story short: They had to make practically every one of them in order to win those practice games.
 
When it came time for a real game on Thursday night, the Falcons had to do the same thing.
 
And they did.
 
Jordan McPhee scored seven of her game-high 20 points during the fourth quarter, as the SPU halted its Great Northwest Athletic Conference losing streak at four by beating Northwest Nazarene, 68-63.
 
McPhee (Normandy Park, Wash. / Mount Rainier HS) got the majority of her points from the line, hitting 12 of 14.
 
As a team, the Falcons (14-5, 6-5 GNAC) hit 18 of 22, a success rate of 81.8 percent. That pushed their season percentage to 78.3. They came into the week ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division for foul shooting, and have been as far up the list as No. 3 nationally for that statistical category.

 

"We worked on it – the first day, we didn't win one," Heisey said of the practice-time free throw games. "Tuesday was better, and Wednesday was a lot better. It's a process."
 
Playing four straight road games to start the second half of the conference schedule, the Falcons return to action on Saturday at Central Washington in Ellensburg. That tips off at 7:00 p.m.
 
DECISIVE SCORING SURGE
It was two of McPhee's foul shots, coming with 4:46 left on Thursday, that put the Falcons in front for good at 58-57.
 
That also was the start of an 8-0 run that gave SPU a 64-57 lead, its biggest of the night, The Crusaders (7-10, 5-6 GNAC) came as close as three on three different occasions, the last time at 66-63 with just two seconds remaining. McPhee then went back to the other end and drained her final two free throws to clinch the win.
 
"We were kind of fighting for our life, and I told the kids that," Heisey said of the four-game skid that is now in the past. "We weren't drowning, but we were still in the water fighting."
 
McPhee's 20 points matched her season high, set on Jan. 12 at Simon Fraser. On Thursday, she also led Seattle Pacific with eight rebounds.

 

Junior forward Courtney Hollander, who missed last Saturday's 72-59 loss to Alaska Fairbanks with a minor injury, was back in her customary starting position on Thursday and chipped in 12 points. After a cold first half when she hit just 2 of 8 from the field, Hollander got back into a groove through the final 20 minutes, sinking 4 of 6, with three of those makes coming during the fourth quarter.
 
The Falcons struggled through the first half, hitting just 10 of 30 from the floor, getting out-rebounded by eight, and going into the intermission trailing by seven at 38-31.
 
But they opened the third quarter with an 11-1 run, with five field goals all from close range. A turnaround three-footer from straight in front of the hoop by sophomore center Julia Haining finally tied the score at 39-39, then McPhee Seattle Pacific ahead, 42-39, with a driving lay-in and one.
 
That was the first of 13 second-half lead changes. The game also was tied six times through the final two quarters.
 
"The first half, we shot 11 treys – that was a third of our field goal attempts," Heisey said. "The second half, we only shot two. It's just recognizing, don't take the first shot, but let's get the best shot. We had a more aggressive mentality."
 
Ellie Logan topped Northwest Nazarene with 12 points. But SPU's defense kept the Crusaders 15 points below their 78.7 average, which ranks No. 2 in the GNAC.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017
Johnson Sports Center / Nampa, Idaho
 
Seattle Pacific 68, Northwest Nazarene 63
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (14-5, 6-5 GNAC)
Jordan McPhee 4-9 12-14 20, Courtney Hollander 6-14 0-0 12, Brianne Lasconia 2-7 3-4 7, Erica Pagano 3-5 0-0 7, Rachel Shim 2-5 0-0 6, Stacey Lukasiewicz 1-2 2-2 4, Julia Haining 2-2 0-0 4, Jaylee Albert 1-5 0-0 3, Hannah Rodrigues 1-1 1-2 3, Lindsay Lee 1-2 0-0 2 Totals 23-52 18-22 68.
 
NORTHWEST NAZARENE
Ellie Logan 3-7 5-8 12, Lexi Tubbs 3-8 1-2 10, Danielle Jardine 4-6 0-0 8, Raquel Jardine 0-2 7-8 7, Kate Cryderman 3-6 0-0 7, Marina Valles 3-9 0-0 6, McKenna Walker 2-7 0-0 5, Kaitlyn Merritt 1-3 1-2 4, Collette Gall 1-4 0-0 2, Carly Parker 1-3 0-0 2, Maya Rodgers 0-1 0-0 0, Avery Albrecht 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 21-59 14-20 63.
 
Seattle Pacific                     15           16           20           17           -- 68
Northwest Nazarene         16           22           12           13           -- 63
 
3-point goals – SPU 4-13 (Shim 2-2, Pagano 1-1, Albert 1-3, Lee 0-1, Lasconia 0-1, Hollander 0-4, McPhee 0-1), NNU 7-18 (Tubbs 3-4, Cryderman 1-2, Merritt 1-2, Logan 1-2, Walker 1-3, Parker 0-1, Rodger 0-1, Albrecht 0-1, Valles 0-2). Fouled out – NNU: D. Jardine. Rebounds – SPU 34 (McPhee 8), NNU 36 (Tubbs 6). Assists – SPU 18 (Albert 4), NNU 13 (Merritt 4). Turnovers – SPU 18, NNU 14. Total fouls – SPU 19, NNU 23. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 402.
 
 
 
Next game
Seattle Pacific at Central Washington
Saturday, 7:00 p.m.
Nicholson Pavilion / Ellensburg, Wash.