MONMOUTH, Ore – The Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team closed out the weekend on the road against Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon in what proved to be a back-and-forth contest between the Falcons and the Wolves, as massive momentum swings favored the home team resulting in an 80-74 final score.
Thursday's game between the Falcons and the Wolves featured just two ties and five lead changes. Both teams put together runs against one another. Ultimately, The Falcons needed to take better care of the basketball. They turned it over 19 times, as the Wolves scored 22 points off turnovers. The Wolves also got a huge boost from their bench, as the reserves scored 33 points, while the SPU reserves scored just 14 points.
"I was happy with how hard we competed tonight," head coach Grant Leep said. "We defended their actions as we prepared with only a few breakdowns. The fact that we turned it over 19 times for 22 points was just too much to overcome tonight. There are several conference games in our league are decided by a few possessions, and to give a good team 19 extra possessions is a lot to overcome, especially on the road. Western Oregon made some plays in big moments tonight."
The Falcons jumped on the Wolves early with a 16-6 run over the first 7:41. Shaw Anderson led the early onslaught with eight points. SPU went 5-for-9 during that stretch, including two 3-pointers. They made all four of their free throw attempts during the span to claim the early lead.
The Wolves worked their back into the game, cutting the Falcon lead to 20-18 with 6:51 to go in the first half. SPU responded with a quick 10-0 run. Maui Sze nailed a step-back 3-pointer, Zack Paulsen hit a pair of free throws, and Ben Baker-McCann knocked one down from long range. Baker-McCann followed with a pair of free throws to cap the run. It was a quick 1:50 stretch that boosted the Falcon lead to 30-18.
Momentum swung back to the Wolves over the final 4:52 of the first half. They exploded for a 17-4 run, taking a 35-34 lead at halftime. WOU went 5-for-6 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line to take their first lead heading into the break.
The second half opened with another momentum swing. SPU went on an 11-5 run over the first 4:30 of the second half. Trace Evans led the group with four points during the run.
From there, the Wolves went on a massive 26-11 run. Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year Cameron Cranston willed the Wolves back into the game, scoring seven points during that span. He'd finish with a game-high 27 points and five rebounds. WOU led 66-56 with 7:20 to play in the game.
SPU showed resiliency in the late stages of the final half. The Falcons pieced together an 11-3 run, capped by a bucket and a 3-pointer from Anderson. Suddenly, the Falcons trailed by just two with 3:55 to play. The clock was against the Falcons, as they couldn't close the gap against the Wolves.
Anderson led the Falcons with 24 points on an efficient 5-for-7 shooting. He did damage from the free throw line, hitting 13 of his 15 attempts. He added two assists, two rebounds, and two blocks for a solid night.
Baker-McCann once again provided a boost off the bench. He finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points while pulling down 10 rebounds, four coming on the offensive end.
The regular season is closing quickly, as the Falcons play their final three games over the next two weeks. SPU returns to the court one week from today in Billings, Mont. when they take on Montana State University Billings. Tip-off happens at 6 p.m. PST.