Box score (PDF)
        Play-by-play (PDF)
 
LACEY, Wash. – The day already a challenge for the Seattle Pacific Falcons just to get to where their game was being played.
 
Then they ran into an Oklahoma Christian team that was even more challenging than the 60-mile trip.

 

Jordan McPhee logged her third career double-double on Monday night, but her 19-point, 10-rebound performance wasn't enough as 19^th-ranked Seattle Pacific dropped a 75-70 decision to OCU in a non-conference women's basketball contest at Saint Martin's.
 
A 7-0 scoring run in the final 75 seconds helped the Eagles (3-9) go in front to stay and then hang on against SPU, which had won 14 straight non-conference games, dating back to last season.
 
"Oklahoma Christian is a lot better than their record," head coach Julie Heisey said. "They can score, and we knew that. They got a lot of easier baskets than we did. They had more lay-up opportunities, and at the same time, we missed a lot of lay-ups."
 
What normally would be a drive of between 90 minutes and two hours took more than 5½ hours, as southbound Interstate 5 was closed due to Monday morning's Amtrak train derailment south of Tacoma. The Falcons left campus at approximately 11:45 a.m., made a stop for a pre-game meal, and, after some necessary detours, finally got onto the Marcus Pavilion floor at about 5:30.
 
The original 5:15 p.m. tip-off time was pushed back to 6:15, then 7:00, then 7:15. The ball finally went up at 7:18.

 

"(The outcome) is disappointing, because on the one hand, we handled the adversity really well," Heisey said. "The kids had great attitudes about everything, and we started off well."
 
"On the other hand, some of the mistakes we made, you can't do that against a good team, especially against a team that we know can score."
 
SPU built and 18-10 first-quarter lead, only to see OCU come back for a 24-23 advantage by the end of the first quarter. That grew to 39-32 early in the second before the Falcons rallied, eventually scoring the final five points of the half for a 45-45 tie at the break.
 
An 8-2 spurt to open the second half gave Seattle Pacific a 53-47 lead. Oklahoma Christian responded with a 17-5 run and was up 64-58 at the outset of the fourth quarter.
 
Senior guard McPhee put Seattle Pacific back in front at 69-68 on a lay-in with 3:08 to play. Senior forward Courtney Hollander then hit one of her two free throws with 1:42 remaining to make it 70-68.
 
But that was the final point for the Falcons, who hit just 3 of 18 from the field during the final quarter. OCU junior guard Addy Clift, whose 22-point total included the 1,000th of her career, buried a 3-pointer from well behind the arc slightly to the left of the hoop for a 71-70 edge with 1:15 left. She hit one free throw at the 1:02 mark to make it 72-70, then another with nine seconds left for 73-70.
 
Maddison Collyer's two free throws with two seconds remaining sealed it.
 
"Sometimes, things just didn't go our way," Heisey said. "But the season is long, and it's a journey. I think our kids look at the whole package. We'll learn from our mistakes, and we can get better."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- McPhee's double-double was the sixth of the season for SPU. That matches the total from all of last year.
-- Her stat line also included four assists, four blocked shots (tying her career high) and five steals.
-- Senior center Julia Haining added 14 points.
-- The Falcons once again took good care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers. That's their second time this season with fewer than 10. They forced Oklahoma Christian into 18, with 14 of those being SPU steals.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons now will be off for the D2-mandated seven-day quiet period. They will get fully into the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule beginning Thursday, Dec. 28, against Montana State Billings at 5:15 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion.


NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Monday, Dec. 18, 2017
Marcus Pavilion / Lacey, Wash.
 
Oklahoma Christian 75, (No. 19) Seattle Pacific 70
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (8-2)
Rachel Shim 0-2 0-0 0, Jordan McPhee 7-15 5-6 19, Julia Haining 7-12 0-2 14, Courtney Hollander 3-10 1-2 9, Lindsay Lee 1-9 1-2 4, Riley Evans 0-2 0-0 0, Jaylee Albert 1-5 2-2 5, Hailee Bennett 3-6 0-0 7, Erica Pagano 3-8 1-2 8, Carly Rataushk 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 27-74 10-16 70.
 
OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (3-9)
Addy Clift 6-17 4-6 22, Carolyn Lawley 0-1 0-0 0, Maddison Collyer 3-5 3-4 9, Audrey Hayes 5-7 3-4 13, Delyssa Miller 1-5 0-0 2, Megan Shelton 1-1 0-0 3, Ali Christie 1-4 0-0 3, Kayden Carver 1-2 0-0 2, Katie Mayo 6-12 2-2 14, Tyra Peck 3-6 0-0 7. Totals 27-60 12-16 75.
 
Seattle Pacific                     23           22           13           12           -- 70
Oklahoma Christian            24           21           16           14           -- 75
 
3-point goals – SPU 6-25 (Shim 0-2, McPhee 0-1, Hollander 2-5, Lee 1-8, Albert 1-4, Bennett 1-2, Pagano 1-2), OCU 9-25 (Clift 6-12, Lawley 0-1, Collyer 0-1, Miller 0-2, Shelton 1-1, Christie 1-3, Carver 0-1, Mayo 0-1, Peck 1-3). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – SPU 41 (McPhee 10), OCU 42 (Clift 8). Assists – SPU 15 (McPhee 4), OCU 13 (Collyer 5). Turnovers – SPU 9, OCU 18. Total fouls – SPU 17, OCU 13. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 91.
 
Next game
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Dec. 28        5:15 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion