Box score, play-by-play (HTML)
 
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Seattle Pacific Falcons had the shots on Saturday night.
 
They just couldn't get the points to go along with them.
 
Kaprice Boston scored 10, but she was the only SPU player to reach double figures in Carver Gymnasium as Western Washington led from start to finish in a 60-43 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball victory.
 
The Falcons (7-16, 6-10 GNAC) dropped their fourth straight game.

SPU shot just 30.8 percent (16 of 52), and was at only 16.7 percent from 3-point range (3 of 18).
 
"Western defended their tails off and they played a great game," Falcons head coach Mike Simonson said. "We missed some open looks, but part of it was their pressure and the way they defended. It took us out of our rhythm."

Seattle Pacific was down by just five at 31-26 with 7:06 left in the third after Boston converted a Western turnover into a fast-break lay-in. The Vikings (14-10, 9-7 GNAC) called timeout, returned to the court, and went on an 11-0 run, widening the lead to 42-26.
 
WWU also tightened up defensively, forcing seven straight missed shots and keeping Seattle Pacific off the board for 5:42.WWU took a 42-28 lead into the fourth quarter and stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way.
 
The Vikings made any comeback attempt even more challenging with a decisive 42-23 rebounding advantage. They allowed the Falcons just four offensive rebounds and a mere two second-chance points.
 
"They rebounded well, but we missed a lot of shots," Simonson said. "And they had 11 offensive rebounds and converted on most all of them. Those rebounds they had offensively really made us pay."

Twice in the first half – toward the end of the first quarter, then again toward the end of the second – SPU rallied to stay in it. Down 11-4 in the opening period, a 9-2 run helped the the score at 13-13.
 
The Falcons went without a point for the first 5:03 of the second quarter, finally getting on the board when redshirt senior forward Cici West drove for a banked lay-in shot. They subsequently found themselves down 25-15, then ran off seven in a row, and trailed by only five at halftime, 27-22.
 
TOURNAMENT TALK
Saturday's loss dropped the Falcons below the cutoff line to make the GNAC Tournament.
 
With the top six in the final standings earning tickets to Bellingham for next month's postseason gathering, Seattle Pacific, Montana State Billings, and Concordia-Portland started the night tied for the sixth place at 6-9.
 
But while the Falcons and Yellowjackets both lost, the Cavaliers won at Alaska Fairbanks, 71-44. They thus took over sole possession of sixth at 7-9, one game ahead of SPU and Billings with four games left.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- The Falcons had some defensive moments of their own, especially against Western forward / center Kelsey Rogers. The 6-foot-1 sophomore came in averaging 13.4 points, No. 8 in the GNAC. But SPU kept her off the board, as Rogers got off just two shots in 22 minutes.
-- Seattle Pacific came up with a season-high 13 steals. Junior guard Madi Hingston had a career-high four of those.
-- The Falcons had another solid night at the free throw line, hitting 88.9 percent (8 of 9). But Western was even more solid at 90 percent at 18 of 20.
-- Kaprice Boston pulled a team-high six rebounds, including the 100^th of her career. She how has 102.
-- Jade Skidmore's six points put her at 981 for her career.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons wind up the home portion of their schedule this coming week against the Alaska schools. Anchorage, ranked No. 10 nationally, visits on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for the second half of a doubleheader, that game preceded by the SPU men against Montana State Billings at 5:15. The home finale is on Senior Day Saturday at 4:00 p.m. against Fairbanks.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019
Carver Gymnasium / Bellingham, Wash.
 
Western Washington 60, Seattle Pacific 43
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (7-16, 6-10 GNAC)
Boston 3-5 3-4 10, West 3-7 1-1 7, Bennett 2-5 0-0 6, Skidmore 2-6 2-2 6, Hoff 2-2 0-0 4, Hingston 2-9 0-0 4, Alter 1-3 0-0 2, Evans 0-10 2-2 2, Albert 1-4 0-0 2, Berg 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-52 8-9 43.
 
WESTERN WASHINGTON (14-10, 9-7 GNAC)
Schwecke 6-11 4-4 16, Duff 4-7 5-6 15, Bland 4-10 4-4 14, Castaneda 2-6 2-2 7, Dykstra 1-3 2-2 5, Olson 1-5 0-0 2, Fierke 0-0 1-2 1, Westendorf 0-2 0-00, Gimmaka 0-1 0-0 0, Rogers 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-47 18-20 60.
 
Seattle Pacific                     13             9             6           15           -- 43
Western Washington          13           14           15           18           -- 60
 
3-point goals – SPU 3-18 (Bennett 2-3, Boston 1-1, Hingston 0-5, Evans 0-7, Albert 0-2), WWU 6-18 (Duff 2-5, Bland 2-5, Dykstra 1-3, Castaneda 1-2, Westendorf 0-2, Olson 0-1). Fouled out – SPU: Hingston. Rebounds – SPU 23 (Boston 6), WWU 42 (Schwecke 9, Bland 9), Assists – SPU 6 (Berg 2), WWU 16 (Bland 4). Turnovers – SPU 16, WWU 23. Total fouls – SPU 21, WWU 15. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 423.
 
 
Next game
Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Feb. 21     7:30 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.