LACEY, Wash. – The shots finally started falling during the fourth quarter for Seattle Pacific.
 
They kept falling for Saint Martin's.
 
Hunter Beirne recorded a double-double of 11 points and a career-high 10 assists, and redshirt freshman Grace Turley matched her career high with 14 points, but the Saints hung onto at least a three-possession lead through the final few minutes for a 78-63 victory on Saturday afternoon inside Marcus Pavilion.
 
Fifth-year point guard Beirne eclipsed her previous career high of eight assists, which she had reached three times, most recently last Feb. 24 against Alaska Anchorage. She was the first Falcon with double-digit helpers since Abril Rexach Roure had 11 on Feb. 5, 2021 -- also at Saint Martin's.

Of those 10, three each went to Turley and Madison Rubino, and two each went to Lolo Weatherspoon and Layne Kearns.
 
"That's a big deal, especially when there's a lot of pressure," Falcons coach Karen Byers said of Beirne's playmaking prowess. "She drove into the key today and they were all over us. So for her to be able to get 10 assists off of that is pretty impressive."
 
 

The Falcons (6-19, 0-12 GNAC), hoping to halt a nine-game skid, found their shooting touch during the final 10 minutes, draining 9 of 14, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Turley had two of those treys, and Kearns buried the other two.
 
Even with all of that, Seattle Pacific wasn't able to get  the deficit down into single digits until a lay-in by Rubino cut it to 66-57 with just 2:34 remaining. That's because the Saints (13-8, 6-7 GNAC) hit 7 of 10 from the field and 13 of 16 at the free throw line in the final period.
 
 

"I think we were not prepared for them to put the zone on," Byers said. "When that happened, it was like deer in the headlights. It took us awhile to figure that out.

"Once we did, we were doing great, and we had a great fourth quarter," Byers added. "Had we started shooting more 3s earlier (the Falcons hit a solid 43.8 percent, draining 7 of 16) and get some earlier buckets, then things are looking better."
 
SPU saw the Saints go on three double-digit scoring runs: 10-0 in the first quarter to take a 14-2 lead, 11-0 in the second to go up 32-23, and 11-0 in the third to turn a still-up-for-grabs 36-30 game into a commanding 47-30 advantage.
 
After the opening burst by Saint Martin's, SPU responded with its own 11-0 run to get within 14-13. A jumper by Beirne and a turnaround jumper from the foul line by Madison Rubino gave the Falcons a 17-16 lead at the end of the period.
 
"We play better with pace," Byers said. "If we're moving the ball and running the floor, that's when we really kind of hit our groove."
 
A lay-in by Lolo Weatherspoon put the Falcons up 23-21 with 5:30 left in the half. Saint Martin's then scored the final 11 points for a 32-23 margin at the break.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- Layne Kearns had 13 points for the Falcons on 4-of-6 shooting and drained both of her treys. Madison Rubino, coming off her double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds in a reserve role on Thursday at Western Oregon, got the start and delivered 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting plus six boards.
-- The teams combined for 53 points in the fourth quarter: 26 for SPU, 27 for Saint Martin's.
-- Hunter Beirne's 10 assists give her 94 for the year. Her single-season best is 95 in 2022-23.
-- Overall, the Falcons shot 44.2 percent (23 of 52). Saint Martin's finished at 46.7 percent (28 of 60).
-- The Saints had a 39-26 rebounding advantage. Emilia Bishop had six to lead SPU.
-- Kiana Rios led Saint Martin's with 26 points, and Sarah Lamet had 23 off the bench.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons are back home this coming week, facing Northwest Nazarene on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 5:15 p.m. and Central Washington on Saturday the 15th at 4:15 p.m. Both games are part of doubleheaders. The Seattle Pacific  men play NNU on Thursday at 7:30 and Central Washington on Saturday at 2:00.

 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025
Marcus Pavilion / Lacey, Wash.
 
Saint Martin's 78, Seattle Pacific 63
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (6-19, 0-12 GNAC)
Weatherspoon 3-9 0-0 7, Beirne 2-11 7-8 11, Bishop 2-5 0-0 4, Kearns 4-6 3-4 13, Rubino 6-10 0-2 12, Ohta 0-1 0-0 0, Mertes 0-0 0-0 0, Lavigne 0-0 0-0 0, Leasure 1-1 0-0 2, Turley 5-9 0-0 14.  Totals 23-52 10-14 63.
 
SAINT MARTIN'S (13-8, 6-7 GNAC)
Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Travis 8-15 8-9 26, Rios 4-12 2-2 11, Brown 1-6 0-0 2, Oaster 4-8 5-5 13, Reed 0-0 1-4 1, Hatchett 1-2 0-0 2, Lamet 10-15 3-4 23, Booster 0-2 0-0 0.  Totals 28-60 19-24 78.
 
Seattle Pacific     17             6           14           26           -- 63
Saint Martin's      16            16          19            27           -- 78
 
3-point goals – SPU 7-16 (Weatherspoon 1-2, Beirne 0-5, Kearns 2-2, Ohta 0-1, Turley 4-6), STM 3-15 (Travis 2-7, Rios 1-4, Oaster 0-1, Lamet 0-1, Booster 0-2).   Fouled out – SPU: Kearns.  Rebounds – SPU 26 (Bishop 6), STM 39 (Rios 11).  Assists – SPU 17 (Beirne 10), STM 23 (Brown  7).  Turnovers (points allowed) – SPU 19 (25), STM 16 (19).  Total fouls – SPU 22, STM 12.  Technical fouls – STM: Bench.  Attendance – 347.
 
 
Next game
Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Feb. 13     5:15 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 

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