GNAC release (HTML)
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Seattle Pacific Falcons needed a women's basketball victory in a big way.
Hailee Bennett knew that.
So the senior guard came through …
… in a big way.
Bennett poured in 44 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in two games, helping the Falcons down Cal State Los Angeles and Academy of Art. Those performances earned her the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's Player of the Week award, as announced on Monday.
Hailee Bennett goes for two of
her 29 points against CSULA.
Last Monday night in Brougham Pavilion, Bennett posted a double-career high of 29 points and nine rebounds as Seattle Pacific pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat CSULA, 80-67. The Falcons started that period with a slim 49-48 lead. Bennett tallied 14 of her points during those final 10 minutes, hitting both of her shots from the field (one of them from 3-point range) and 9 of 10 at the foul line. By game's end, she had drained 7 of 13 from the floor (4 of 7 from downtown) and 11 of 12 from the line.
That was her collegiate game in the 20s, and marked the second game in a row that she had a career-best on the boards. Her previous highs were 18 points and eight rebounds.
Then on Thursday against Academy of Art, Bennett went for 15 points and five rebounds, along with four assists. She hit 5 of 9 from the floor (2 of 3 from long range) and 3 of 4 at the line.
For the week, Bennett shot 57.1 percent from the field (12 of 21), 60 percent from downtown (6 of 10) and 87.5 percent from the line (14 of 16).
This is her first Player of the Week award.
SPU (2-8, 0-2 GNAC) return to action on Thursday, Jan. 2, against Alaska Anchorage in Brougham Pavilion. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m., and it will the second half of a doubleheader. The Falcon men take on Anchorage at 5:15 p.m. That begins the final 18 games of the season, all of them of them conference contests.
