Box score, play-by-play (HTML)
 
SEATTLE – That hump is still in front of them. But perhaps it's not looking like quite as much of one to the Seattle Pacific Falcons.
 
Riley Evans poured in a career-high 27 points on Saturday night, but UC San Diego broke through for 28 fourth-quarter points to cap a comeback from nine points down and beat Seattle Pacific in the final game of the Sodexo Classic women's basketball tournament, 83-72.
 
 

Senior guard / forward Evans poured in 13 of her points during the third quarter as SPU (0-4) took a 51-42 lead. Evans got nine of those 13 points from downtown.
 
But Jolene Yang had a similar fourth quarter for the Tritons (4-0), going off for 13 points, with nine from long range. It was a Yang trey from the left of the lane with 6:49 left that snapped a 64-64 tie, and UC San Diego never trailed again.
 
"On a day's notice, that's a very tough team to prepare for," SPU head coach Mike Simonson said. "They got open, and those good of shooters on a team like that that has been tested, they're going to bury them when they're wide open."
 
Seattle Pacific still was within range, down just 71-68 after Jaylee Albert drained a pair of free throws with 4:45 still on the clock. The Tritons then put the next 10 points in a row on the board, putting the game out of reach at 81-68.
 
 

"We know we're getting close," Simonson said. "We told our players that right now, UC San Diego is one of the best, if not the best team in our region, and I know we have a couple good teams in our conference, as well.
 
"But I felt like we dictated to that team, and they had to match our intensity for three quarters tonight," he added. "That shows our team how we are. It stings, which is great, but that's motivation to turn that corner, and they're all still hungry."
 
Evans easily beat her previous career high of 20 points, achieved last Jan. 23 at Saint Martin's. She hit 10 of 18 from the floor on Saturday, with 5 of 9 from 3-point range.
 
It was she who led a 17-4 Falcon scoring run in the third quarter, turning a 38-34 deficit into a 51-42 lead. Evans supplied 13 of those 17.UCSD whittled that down to 58-55 heading into the fourth.
 
 

Senior guard Albert, following a career-high of 25 in Friday's 67-58 loss to Azusa Pacific, tallied 14 on Saturday. Senior forward Cici West added 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
 
UC San Diego, the preseason favorite to win the California Collegiate Athletic Association title, built a quick 10-3 lead. By the end of the first quarter, SPU had come back, twice taking one-point leads, and was just down 20-18 at the end of one.
 
The Tritons led for most of the second quarter, but needed a pair of free throws from Stephanie Moore with 1.2 seconds left to take a 36-34 edge into the locker room at halftime.
 
"The pace of the game was what we wanted it to be," Simonson said. "We really were able to push the tempo and had them on their heels. I thought tonight was the first night where you could really feel it in the gym how fast we wanted to play."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- After getting out-rebounded 52-39 in Friday's loss to Azusa (including 13-3 on the offensive boards), the Falcons were up on the boards most of the night against San Diego before the Tritons finished with a 36-31 edge. Each team had 11 offensive rebounds.
-- SPU had its cleanest ball-handling night of the season, committing just 12 turnovers.
 
UP NEXT
Seattle Pacific hosts Holy Names of the Pacific West in a non-conference game on Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. The Falcons will still have three non-conference games remaining, but this will be the last one prior to the start of GNAC play.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKEBALL
Sodexo Classic
Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
UC San Diego 83, Seattle Pacific 72
 
UC SAN DIEGO (4-0)
Yang 9-17 2-2 25, Williams 7-10 6-7 20, Hatfield 3-8 2-4 10, Macabuhay 5-11 0-0 10, Moore 1-2 7-8 9, Sharp 1-3 0-0 3, Claros 1-6 0-0 3, Cangelosi 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 28-58 17-21 83.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (0-4)
Evans 10-18 2-3 27, Albert 4-10 4-4 14, West 5-8 1-3 11, Hingston 3-3 1-2 8, Hoff 2-5 0-0 4, Skidmore 2-6 0-0 4, Boston 0-3 2-4 2, Rataushk 0-4 2-4 2, Alter 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-59 12-20 72.
 
UC San Diego      20           16           19           28           -- 83
Seattle Pacific     18           16           24           14           -- 72
 
3-point goals – UCSD 10-22 (Yang 5-9, Hatfield 2-3, Cangelosi 1-1, Sharp 1-3, Claros 1-3, Macabuhay 0-3), SPU 8-18 (Evans 5-9, Albert 2-5, Hingstn 1-1, Boston 0-2, Alter 0-1). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – UCSD 36 (Hatfield 16), SPU 31 (West 9). Assists – UCSD 16 (Claros 6), SPU 9 (Skidmore 3, Albert 3). Turnovers – UCSD 12, SPU 12. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 308.
 
 
Next game
Holy Names at Seattle Pacific
Tuesday, Nov. 20    7:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.