FAIRBANKS, Alaska. – Natalie Hoff's 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining put Seattle Pacific in front and the Falcons opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 65-60 road win at Alaska Fairbanks in The Patty Center on Thursday night.
 
Hoff, who also had a key basket and free throw in the final three minutes, finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Coming off the bench for 33 minutes, Chiara De Vergilio added 14 (hitting 4 of 11 from 3-point range), five assists and seven steals.
 
Ashley Alter, coming off 45 points in her last two games, did not play for SPU (3-2, 1-0 GNAC). Alaska Fairbanks was without its top scorer, Emma McKenney, as well.
 
 

Seattle Pacific outscored UAF 11-3 in the final three minutes, beginning with a Hoff 3-point play to square the score at 57-57. Following two free throws from the Nanooks' Paola Perez-Mendoza, Hunter Beirne buried a trey from on top for a 60-59 advantage. Hoff's 21-footer from the left wing made it 63-60.
 
Caitlin Pusich's potential tying heave from the corner was off the mark, and Beirne sealed the verdict with two foul shots. She finished with 12 points.
 
Pusich paced UAF with 11.
 
 

Seattle Pacific trailed by four with six minutes left, 53-49, before De Vergilio drained a 3 from the left side and Anna Eddy cut backdoor for a lay-up and a 54-53 edge. Both baskets were set up by Hoff assists. UAF was kept without a field goal for the final 3:45.
 
It was Seattle Pacific's 10th straight win against the Nanooks (1-6, 0-2 GNAC), dating back to 2017.
 
The falcons endured some struggles in the first and third periods when they were outscored 40-28.
 
In the second quarter Seattle Pacific settled down and effectively atoned for a flat first quarter. The Falcons scored the first seven points to take their first lead (24-22) and eventually built a five-point cushion by intermission, 36-31. They did so by finding their inside touch and taking advantage of eight UAF turnovers and keeping the hosts without a field goal for more than 5 minutes.
 
After trailing by as much as 19-10 in the opening quarter, the Falcons put together a 25-8 run to go up 35-27 on Hoff's spin and score. A total of seven players contributed, with Beirne's seven points leading the way. SPU shot 44 percent (14 of 32) for the half.
 
De Vergilio connected on a 22-footer for a 42-36 lead in the third period, but Fairbanks then went on a 13-3 spurt to take the lead, 49-45.
 
Hoff made 6 of 15 from the floor, scored 12 of her points and also had all three of her blocks during the second half. SPU shot 38 percent (24 of 64) to the Nanooks' 40 percent (22 of 55).
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons visit No. 11-ranked Alaska Anchorage on Saturday night at 6:15 Pacific time. The Seawolves were knocked off by Montana State Billings on Thursday night, 68-61. The home opener for SPU is next Thursday, Dec. 8, against Lincoln (Calif.) at 5:15 p.m.

 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022
The Patty Center / Fairbanks, Alaska
 
Seattle Pacific 65, Alaska Fairbanks 60
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (3-2. 1-0 GNAC)
N. Hoff 6-15 2-3 16, M. Hoff 1-3, 1-2 3 Marlow 1-3 0-0 2, Beirne 4-8 2-2 12, Eddy 4-8 0-1 9, Weatherspoon 0-2 1-2 1, Berry 3-9 2-4 8, De Virgilio 5-14 0-0 14, Carlisle 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 8-14 65.
 
ALASKA FAIRBANKS (1-6, 0-2 GNAC)
Silva 4-7 0-0 8, Pushic 4-9 2-2 11, Johnson 3-11 0-0 7, Reimers 3-8 2-4 9, Perez-Mendoza 3-7 2-2 8, Wass 0-0 0-2 0, Tolliver 2-8 2-2 8, Tiulana 1-1 1-2 4, Van Dyke 2-4 1-1 5. Totals 22-55 10-15 60.
 
Seattle Pacific                     17           19           11           18           -- 65
Alaska Fairbanks                22            9           18           11           -- 60
 
3-point goals – SPU 9-25 (N. Hoff 2-3, M. Hoff 0-1, Marlow 0-1, Beirne 2-3, Eddy 1-4, Berry 0-1, De Virgilio 4-11), UAF 6-19 (Pusich 1-6, Johnson 1-2, Reimers 1-1, Perez-Mendoza 0-2, Tolliver 2-6, Tiulana 1-1). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – SPU 39 (N. Hoff 6, Beirne 6), UAF 36 (Perez-Mendoza 9). Assists – SPU 18 (De Virgilio 5), UAF 14 (Perez-Mendoza 5). Turnovers – SPU 15, UAF 17. Total fouls – SPU 13, UAF 14. Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 414.
 
 
Next game
Seattle Pacific at Alaska Anchorage
Saturday, 6:15 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Center / Anchorage, Alaska