BURNABY, B.C. – The Simon Fraser Red Leafs staged their own version of "Sister Act" on Saturday night …
 
… and the Seattle Pacific Falcons couldn't bring down the curtain on it.
 
Schuyler Berry poured in 21 points for SPU – just one short of her career high – but Sophia and Jessica Wisotzki combined for 52 points, with Sophia tallying 29 and Jessica 23, leading the Leafs to an 83-57 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball victory in West Gym.
 
With that result, plus Western Oregon's 77-73 overtime loss at Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, the Falcons (6-13, 3-6), Simon Fraser (11-11, 3-6) and WOU (10-10, 3-6) are all tied for what would be the sixth and final spot in the conference tournament with the first half of the schedule now complete.
 
The Red Leafs took charge of Saturday's game with a 20-9 run to finish the first half, snapping a 20-20 tie and taking a 40-29 lead into the locker room. That was one of just three ties in the game, and SPU never had the lead.
 
A 14-2 burst at the outset of the third quarter helped produce a 23-point bulge for Simon Fraser at 54-31. The Falcons weren't even able to get up their first shot of the quarter until 7:17 remained and didn't score their first basket until the 5:25 mark when Berry had an uncontested lay-in.
 
It was still a 22-point difference entering the fourth quarter at 68-46. SPU then put nine straight points on the board to start the final period, with seven of those by Berry, and closed it to 13 at 68-55 with 6:24 still to play.
 
But the Falcons scored just two more points the rest of the way, both at the free throw line as their final six shots from the floor were off the mark.
 
Junior center Berry came off the bench for just the second time this season, but made the most of her 21 minutes. She hit 6 of 10 from the field, 9 of 13 from the foul line and pulled down two rebounds.
 
Olivia Mayer added 10 points for Seattle Pacific. The junior forward also collected a team-high six rebounds.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- The Falcons hit just 17 of 51 from the field (33.3 percent). That included 2 of 11 (22.2 percent) from downtown.
-- Simon Fraser drained 13 more field goals and hit at a 49.2 percent clip (30 of 61). The Red Leafs were 9 of 19 from long range.
--Led by Schuyler Berry's 9 of 13, SPU had season highs from the line with 21 makes on 31 attempts. The previous highs were 17 makes (against three different teams) and 28 attempts (against Cal State Los Angeles).
-- Berry scored her career high of 22 at Stanislaus State on Dec. 14.
-- Simon Fraser got 26 of its points off 23 Falcons turnovers.
-- Sophia Wisotzki's 29 points gave her a career high for the second game in a row. She went for 24 in Thursday's 74-60 loss to Montana State Billings.
-- Combined, the sisters hit 18 of 29 (62.1 percent) from the field: 11 of 16 for Sophia and 7 of 13 for Jessica. Their shooting included 8 of 10 from 3-point range, with Sophia hitting all four of hers and Jessica going 4 of 6.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons open the second half of GNAC play on Thursday at home against Central Washington at 5:15 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion. They'll be looking to even the score against the Wildcats, who took a 71-61 decision in Ellensburg on Jan. 6. Thursday's game will be the opener of a doubleheader, with the SPU men tipping off against Central at 7:30 p.m.


NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024
West Gym / Burnaby, B.C.
 
Simon Fraser 83, Seattle Pacific 57
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (6-13, 3-6 GNAC)
Weatherspoon 2-6 3-4 7, Marlow 0-4 0-2 0, Beirne 3-7 1-2 9, Mayer 3-8 4-4 10, Kearns 1-5 1-2 3, Ohta 0-4 0-0 0, Biship 1-2 1-2 3, Carlisle 1-3 0-0 2, Berry 6-10 9-13 21, Leasure 0-2 2-2 2.  Totals 17-51 21-31 57.
 
SIMON FRASER (11-11, 3-5 GNAC)
Loukes 1-5 0-0 2, J. Wisotzki 7-13 5-6 23, Shelvey 2-5 0-0 4, Dulai 3-6 2-2 8, S. Wisotzki 11-16 3-4 29, Killins 5-10 2-2 13, Cutler 0-0 1-2 1, Gill 0-0 0-0 0, Gardner 0-1 0-0 0, Quirke 0-1 0-0 0, Charity 0-0 0-0 0, Tetteh-Wayoe 1-4 1-2 3.  Totals 30-61 14-18 83.
 
Seattle Pacific     12           17           17           11            -- 57
Simon Fraser      14           26           28           15           -- 83
 
3-point goals – SPU 2-11 (Weatherspoon 0-1, Marlow 0-1, Beirne 2-3, Mayer 0-1, Kearns 0-1, Ohta 0-3, Carlisle 0-1), Simon 9-19 (J. Wisotzki 4-6, Shelvey 0-3, Dulai 0-1, S. Wisotzki 4-4, Killins 1-4, Gardner 0-1).  Fouled out – Simon: Cutler.  Rebounds – SPU 35 (Mayer 6), Simon 37 (Gardner 7).  Assists – SPU 8 (Beirne 2), Simon 25 (Loukes 6).  Turnovers (points allowed) – SPU 23 (26), Simon 18 (11).  Total fouls – SPU 14 Simon 20.  Technical fouls – None.  Attendance – 233.
 
 
Next game
Central Washington at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Feb. 1     5:15 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.