Box score (PDF)
 
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Seattle Pacific Falcons nearly climbed all the way back into the game on Saturday night.
 
But the clock and the Western Washington Vikings ultimately were too much to overcome.
 
Madi Hingston scored 15 points, one of three players in double figures, but SPU, after cutting a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit down to four, was kept off the scoreboard for the final 3 minutes, 15 seconds as Western secured a 73-60 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball victory.
 
Ashley Alter added 13 points, and Ashlynn Burgess chipped in 11 in Carver Gymnasium.
 
 

"I loved our fight, I loved how we competed," head coach Mike Simonson said. "When we do things right and compete, we're really good. But you have to do it – and there's that word, consistency – for 40 minutes. We didn't do it tonight, unfortunately."
 
Seattle Pacific (3-11, 1-5 GNAC) began the final 10 minutes of the game down 55-42 – that after trailing by 19 at the half. It finally got within single digits on a shot by Rachel Berg to make it 58-49 with 7:23 remaining.
 
Eventually, the Falcons got within four: 62-58 on a free throw by Burgess at the 3:49 mark, and 64-60 on a driving lay-in by Burgess with 3:15 to go.
 
But that was it. SPU missed its last four shots and had three turnovers as the Vikings (10-4, 4-2 GNAC) iced the game with the final nine points.
 
"We executed very well (in the fourth quarter)," Simonson said. "We were down four, but then we gave up a big bucket. At the end, we have to execute possession by possession. Down the stretch, we kind of let it get away."
 
SECOND-QUARTER LULL
Western Washington bolted to a 12-4 lead. But Seattle Pacific closed the first quarter with a 12-3 run, capped by a Natalie Hoff turnaround five-footer that beat the buzzer for a 16-15 lead.
 
WWU went back on top with the first six points of the second quarter. The Falcons were still within five at 24-19 when the Vikings put six straight and 11 of the next 13 points on the board to make it 35-21. Then, they got their own buzzer beater to end the half. With SPU playing for the final shot, Emma Duff stole the ball, went the length of the court, and banked a lay-in for a 44-25 advantage.
 
During that period, Western Washington outscored the Falcons, 29-9.
 
"It's just frustrating in the second quarter that we let the game get away from us," Simonson said. "It's really hard to battle back."
 
But battle back, the Falcons did, particularly during the final 10 minutes.
 
"We really locked down on defense and we were sharing the ball, playing well together, running the floor, finding open passes and finishing our shots," Hingston said. "We just really fed off each other's energy.
 
"It just shows our resiliency," Hingston added. "I think our team is tough. Our record doesn't reflect that right now, but I have all the confidence in the world. I think this is just going to prepare us for down the road."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- The Falcons shot 40 percent for the night, hitting 24 of 59. That included 58.3 percent (7 of 12) during the fourth quarter.
-- Senior guard Hailee Bennett and junior guard Abril Rexach Roure each collected five of the team's 38 rebounds.
-- Ashlynn Burgess' 11 points pushed her past 1,300 for her career. She how has 1,310, with 172 during this, her first year with the Falcons.
-- This was the third straight game in which SPU had three players score in double figures.
 
UP NEXT
Seattle Pacific is back home in Brougham Pavilion this coming week to face Concordia-Portland on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Western Oregon on Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020
Carver Gymnasium / Bellingham, Wash.
 
Western Washington 73, Seattle Pacific 60
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (3-11, 1-5 GNAC)
Burgess 4-9 3-5 11, Brundidge 0-1 0-0 0, Bennett 2-9 0-0 4, Hingston 5-12 2-2 15, Alter 5-12 3-4 13, Rexach Roure 3-8 0-0 6, Brennan 0-0 0-0 0, Sterk 0-0 0-0 0, Berg 2-3 0-0 4, Hoff 3-5 1-1 7. Totals 24-59 9-12 60.
 
WESTERN WASHINGTON (10-4, 4-2 GNAC)
Rogers 5-9 0-1 10, Schwecke 5-1- 2-3 12, Bland 4-11 5-6 14, Iwami 0-1 0-0 0, Duff 7-11 3-5 18, Olson 1-8 0-0 2, Castaneda 1-3 0-0 2, Gimmaka 4-8 4-6 12, Coleman 1-5 0-0 3, Zaragoza 0-0 0-0 0, Fierke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-66 14-21 73.
 
Seattle Pacific                  16          9            17          18          -- 60
Western Washington       15          29          11          18          -- 73
 
3-point goals – SPU 3-12 (Burgess 0-3, Bennett 0-2, Hingston 3-4, Rexach Roure 0-2, Berg 0-1), WWU 3-15 (Rogers 0-1, Bland 1-45, Duff 1-3, Olson 0-1, Castaneda 0-1, Gimmaka 0-2, Coleman 1-2). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – SPU 39 (Bennett 5, Rexach Roure 5), WWU 39 (Duff 6). Assists – SPU 15 (Rexach Roure 4), WWU 18 (Olson 9). Turnovers – SPU 20, WWU 11. Total fouls – SPU 21, WWU 15. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 575.
 
 
Next game
Concordia-Portland at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Jan. 16     7:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.