CARSON, Calif. – Layne Kearns had another double-digit scoring performance, finishing with 15 points for Seattle Pacific on Friday, but Cal State Los Angeles went on a 19-2 scoring run bridging the second and third quarters and beat the Falcons on the first night of the West Region Crossover Classic women's basketball tournament, 76-56.
 
Sophomore guard Kearns went for 11 points in each of SPU's first two games at last week's D2CCA Canadian Tip-Off Classic. She put in another strong performance on Friday in California. She scored 15 points on 6-for-14 shooting, with six rebounds and three assists.
 
Schuyler Berry added nine points for Seattle Pacific (0-4), and Hunter Beirne tacked on eight. Berry led the way with seven of the team's 40 rebounds.
 
The Falcons had their best opening half of the season, racing to an 11-4 lead. Cal State Los Angeles (1-0) had a 20-18 edge by the end of the first quarter and was up three at 29-26 midway through the second period.
 
SPU came up with a pair of free throws from redshirt freshman forward Julia Lavigne and a putback by Emilia Bishop for a 30-29 edge. The Golden Eagles then scored the final six points of the half to take a 35-30 lead at the break.
 
A putback by Kearns cut it to 35-32 at the outset of the third quarter. But L.A. then ran off the next 13 points to take a 48-32 lead and it stayed in double-digits the rest of the way.

BY THE NUMBERS
--SPU shot 31.9 percent for the game, hitting 22 of 69. Cal State Los Angeles was at 46 percent (29 of 63).
--Once again, the Falcons were solid on the boards with a 40-31 advantage. That's the third time in four games they've had 40 or more.
-- Hunter Beirne's eight points pushed her past 500 for her career. She now has 505.

UP NEXT
The Falcons return to action on Saturday against host Cal State Dominguez Hills in the Torodome, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. Dominguez Hills routed Western Washington in Friday's opener, 76-50.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
West Region Crossover
Friday, Nov. 8, 2024
The Torodome / Carson, Calif.
 
Cal State Los Angeles 76, Seattle Pacific 56
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (0-4)
Rubino 1-8 0-2 2, Berry 4-9 1-2 9, Ohta 1-2 0-0 3, Beirne 3-10 1-2 8, Kearns 6-14 3-4 15, Leasure 2-6 0-0 6, Weatherspoon 3-10 0-0 6, Bishop 1-3 0-0 2, Turley 1-3 0-0 2, Lavgne 0-2 3-4 3, Bergevin 0-0 0-0 0, Mertes 0-2 0-0 0.  Totals 22-69 8-14 56.
 
CAL STATE LOS ANGELES (1-0)
Hodges 3-7 6-6 12, Fuentes 1-4 0-0 2, Buggs 3-8 2-3 9, Rones 5-8 0-0 13, Asiasi 4-9 0-0 9, Jackson 2-5 1-2 6, Fidelus 4-9 1-1 9, Dias 0-0 0-0 0, Walter 1-4 0-0 3, Cassell 3-4 1-2 7, Colton 3-5 0-0 6, Giles 0-0 0-0 0, Blake 0-0 0-0 0.  Totals 29-63 11-14 76.
 
Seattle Pacific                     18           12             9           17           -- 56
Cal State Los Angeles        20           15           21           20           -- 76
 
3-point goals – SPU 4-15 (Ohta 1-2, Beirne 1-4, Kearns 0-3, Leasure 2-3, Lavigne 0-1, Mertes 0-2), CSULA 7-12 (Fuentes 0-1, Buggs 1-1, Rones 3-3, Asiasi 1-3, Jackson 1-1, Fidelus 0-2, Walter 1-1).  Fouled out – SPU: Leasure.  Rebounds – SPU 40 (Berry 7), CSULA 31 (3 players with 5). Assists – SPU 3 (Kearns 3), CSULA 14 (Asiasi 5). Turnovers (points allowed) – SPU 18 (16), CSULA 12 (5).  Total fouls – SPU 16, CSULA 10.  Technical fouls – None. Attendance – 108.
 
Next game
Seattle Pacific at Cal State Dominguez Hills
Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
The Torodome / Carson, Calif.
 

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