Box score, play-by-play (PDF)
 
SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific Falcons had plenty of help to put a convincing women's basketball victory into the books.
 
Plenty of help … as in 22 assists on 27 baskets.
 
Ashley Alter scored 17 points and handed out three assists, Madi Hingston had 14 with four, and Hailee Bennett added 13 with five as SPU rolled past Concordia-Portland in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest in Brougham Pavilion on Thursday night, 63-44.
 
Abril Rexach Roure also had five, including a nifty behind-the-backer to Hingston for a lay-in and a 44-19 lead late in the second quarter.
 
The 22 assists was the highest total this season for the Falcons (4-11, 2-5 GNAC). The last time Seattle Pacific 20-plus was March 3, 2018, with 21 against Montana State Billings in the GNAC Tournament championship game.
 
"That's a goal of ours is to really pass the basketball, and to see us get that many is really impressive," Falcons coach Mike Simonson said. "We want to average about 17 (assists) a game, so to see us get 22 is really great."
 




OFF TO A FAST START
The first quarter has not been especially kind this season. Coming into Thursday's game on Iron Coaching Court, SPU had outscored the opponent just four times in 14 of those first quarters.
 
Now, make it five times. Down 4-2 in the opening moments, Seattle Pacific put 18 straight points on the board. Of the eight baskets that accounted for those 18 points, seven were assisted.
 
Up by 15 after one at 26-11, the Falcons pushed the lead all the way to 23 by halftime at 44-21.
 
"The first quarter, for the most part, we guarded really well," Simonson said, "and that's what catapulted our offense."
 
SPU effectively put it away during the third quarter. Twice, it led by 30 points, the last time at 53-23. The Cavaliers (3-12, 2-5 GNAC) cut into that margin during the final quarter, but never seriously threatened to come all the way back.
 
"We talked at halftime about staying the course and staying intentional about our game plan and how we play as a team," Simonson said. "One thing I hope people saw was our bench's energy never changed – we're always highly supportive of whoever is in the game."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- Of the 10 players who saw action on Thursday, seven had at least one assist.
-- Along with her three assists and 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting, Ashley Alter's stat line included four rebounds, one blocked shot, and a career-high five steals.
 

-- Seattle Pacific had a season-high 15 steals, the second time in the past three games it has been in double digits. Freshman post player Kayla Brundidge matched Alter with five – which also was her career high
-- Thursday was the fourth straight game SPU has had three players score in double figures. Not only did Alter, Hailee Bennett, and Madi Hingston combine for 44 of the team's 63 points, they shot a collective 66.7 percent (18 of 27).
--The Falcons took just two free throws all night – and those came with 3:10 left in the game when Alter drained a pair. Concordia-Portland went to the line just 11 times, hitting seven, as only 21 fouls were called for the two teams combined.
 

-- Natalie Hoff collected her 100^th career rebound. She had five on Thursday, putting her at 103.
-- The 44 points was the fewest the Falcons have allowed this season. The last time they kept someone in the 40s was Feb. 17, 2018 in a 66-47 victory at Alaska Fairbanks.
 
UP NEXT
Western Oregon comes to Brougham Pavilion on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. The Wolves lost at Saint Martin's on Thursday, 71-64. The SPU men, riding an 11-game winning streak, open Saturday's doubleheader by playing Montana State Billings at 2:00 p.m.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
Seattle Pacific 63, Concordia-Portland 44
 
CONCORDIA-PORTLAND (5-9, 2-5 GNAC)
Wu 2-7 0-0 5, Friauf 2-4 1-5 5, Vezaldenos 0-0 0-0 0, Aplaca 3-10 0-0 7, Brazile 2-7 2-2 6, Etherly 1-7 0-0 2, LeSure 1-4 2-2 4, Hudson 1-5 0-0 2, Zhang 5-9 2-2 13. Totals 17-53 7-11 44.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (4-11, 2-5 GNAC)
Brundidge 1-4 0-0 2, Burgess 2-5 0-0 5, Bennett 5-6 0-0 13, Hingston 6-7 0-0 14, Alter 7-14 2-2 17, Berg 0-4 0-0 0, Rexach Roure 0-3 0-0 0, Brennan 3-5 0-0 7, Sterk 2-4 0-0 4, Hoff 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 27-57 2-2 63.
 
Concordia-Portland          11          10            8          15          -- 44
Seattle Pacific                   26          18          11            8          -- 63
 
3-point goals – CU 3-21 (Wu 1-3, Aplaca 1-6, Brazile 0-1, Etherly 0-3, Hudson 0-4, Zhang 1-4), SPU 7-13 (Bennett 3-4, Hingston 2-3, Alter 1-2, Berg 0-1, Brennan 1-2, Sterk 0-1). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – CU 34 (Etherly 6, LeSure 6), SPU 33 (Burgess 5, Rexach Roure 5, Hoff 5). Assists – CU 7 (Etherly 2), SPU 22 (Bennett 5, Rexach Roure 5). Turnovers – CU 19, SPU 14. Total fouls – CU 9, SPU 12. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 116.
 
 
Next game
Western Oregon at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, 4:15 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.