Box Score

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SEATTLE – They made a comeback from the first double-digit deficit. They made a comeback from the second one.
 
The Seattle Pacific Falcons just didn't have enough time to come back from a third one.

 

Carly Rataushk scored a career-high 15 points on Thursday, but SPU had a four-minute scoreless spell late in the game and dropped a 70-62 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball decision to Concordia-Portland in Brougham Pavilion.
 
The Falcons (17-10, 9-10 GNAC) lost their fifth in a row and are still seeking to clinch a spot in the GNAC Tournament, which is set for next Thursday through Saturday at Saint Martin's in Lacey. They still can secure that berth with a win on Saturday or a Concordia loss at Saint Martin's.
 
Western Oregon will come into Brougham Pavilion for that regular-season finale, which tips off at 2:00 p.m. A Senior Day ceremony in honor of Brianne Lasconia, Stacey Lukasiewicz, and Hannah Rodrigues will precede the game.
 
Rataushk (Kirkland, Wash. / Lake Washington HS) topped her previous career high of 14, which she set just last Thursday at Alaska Fairbanks.
 
Junior forward Jordan McPhee (Normandy Park, Wash. / Mount Rainier HS) added 11 points for Seattle Pacific. Junior center Erica Pagano (Happy Valley, Ore.) had a career-high eight rebounds – all during the first 15 minutes of the game – to go along with eight points.
 
"I feel like we had a good week of practice. We're working hard, being good teammates, and were able to come back twice," coach Julie Heisey said. "We just weren't able to finish."
 
Briannah Smith had 17 points, one of four players in double figures for the Cavaliers (11-16, 8-11 GNAC), who kept alive their hopes of making the GNAC tourney.
 
Down just one at 35-34 to start the second half, the Falcons came out cold, going 4 minutes, 40 seconds without a point while Concordia stretched its lead to 42-34. Pagano ended what had been a drought of 5:42 bridging the second and third quarters with a free throw. The Cavs then rang up another five points in a row to forge their biggest lead of the night at 47-35.
 
SPU got within five heading into the fourth quarter at 50-45, finally closing within one at 57-56 on a free throw by senior guard Rachel Shim (Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS) at 4:34 to go.
 
But that was the Falcons point for the next 4:04 while Concordia tallied another eight to go up 65-56.
 
McPhee got SPU back on the board on a 3-pointer with 30.3 seconds remaining. A parade to the free throw line helped the Cavaliers push it back to 11 at 70-59.
 
"We showed a lot of fight," Heisey said. "We had different groups help us come back. But hats off to Concordia."
 
The Cavs raced to a 14-4 lead in the first five minute of the game before SPU started to climb back into it, and was down just 21-19 by the end of the first 10 minutes.
 
The Falcons took their first lead of the night at 23-21 on a pair of Rataushk free throws with 7:37 left in the second quarter. SPU eventually led by as many as four points at 31-27 before Concordia finished the half on an 8-3 run to take a 35-34 edge into the locker room at halftime.
 
CU shot 50 percent for the game (25 of 50), including 43.8 percent (7 of 16) from 3-point territory. Seattle Pacific hit just 35.7 percent (20 of 56), 30 percent (6 of 20) from downtown.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
Concordia-Portland 70, Seattle Pacific 62
 
CONCORDIA-PORTLAND (11-16, 8-11 GNAC)
Briannah Smith 5-8 6-10 17, Jordyn Peacock 6-9 0-0 14, Danielle Hartzog 6-11 1-1 14, Kizzah Maltezo 4-10 1-3 12, Keesha Sarman 1-5 3-4 5, Bailey Cartwright 2-4 1-2 5, Stephanie Luce 1-1 0-0 2, Erin Higbie 0-1 1-2 1, Iraide Juez 0-0 0-0 0, Georgia Williams 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-50 13-22 70.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (17-10, 9-10 GNAC)
Carly Rataushk 5-9 4-6 15, Jordan McPhee 3-11 3-3 11, Lindsay Lee 3-9 1-2 8, Erica Pagano 2-5 4-4 8, Jaylee Albert 2-3 0-0 6, Stacey Lukasiewicz 1-3 2-2 4, Brianne Lasconia 2-9 0-0 4, Rachel Shim 1-5 2-3 4, Hannah Rodrigues 1-2 0-0 2, Madison Wright 0-0 0-0 0.Totals 20-56 16-20 62.
 
Concordia-Portland           21           14           15           20           -- 70
Seattle Pacific                     19           15           11           17           -- 62
 
3-point goals – CU 7-16 (Maltezo 3-6, Peacock 2-3, Hartzog 1-3, Smith 1-2, Williams 0-1, Cartwright 0-1), SPU 6-20 (McPHee 2-4, Albert 2-3, Lee 1-7, Rataushk 1-1, Shim 0-1). Fouled out – SPU: Lasconia. Rebounds – CU 29 (Cartwright 9), SPU 35 (Pagano 8). Assists – CU 13 (Sarman 6), SPU 14 (Rodrigues 3, Shim 3). Turnovers – CU 17, SPU 19. Total fouls – CU 22, SPU 22. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 304.
 
 
Next game
Western Oregon at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, 2:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion