FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team completed the weekend sweep in The Last Frontier by defeating Alaska Fairbanks 69-56, led by a career-high 32 points from Layne Kearns.

FROM THE COACH
"We started strong and got the shots we wanted," head coach Karen Byers said. "We struggled in the second as we started to play tight  when things got tense. But I'm really proud that we were able to play through it and get back on track. Layne had a great game and was in attack mode. Metes hit shots when we needed them. We need to clean up our defense as we prepare for Billings."  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first nine minutes of Saturday's game belonged to the Falcons, as they erupted for a 27-5 run in the first quarter.
  • SPU went 9-for-15 from the field and hit three 3-pointers during that stretch.
• Layne Kearns was dominant during the run, scoring 15 points for the Falcons.
• The Falcons cooled off in the second quarter, being outscored by the Nanooks 18-9.
• Even with a slow second quarter, the Falcons led 36-28 at halftime.
• The Nanooks pulled to within three points of the Falcons before they created separation with a 15-4 run.
  • Kearns and Haylie-Anne Ohta led the charge with five points each.
• Back-to-back 3-pointers from the Nanooks gave the Falcons an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
• The Falcons closed out the fourth quarter on a 14-7 run, including a 9-for-12 effort from the free throw line.
• SPU picked up its second consecutive victory with a 69-56 win over the Nanooks.

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Kearns led all scorers with a game-high 32 points with eight made field goals and an impressive 14-for-18 performance from the free throw line.
• Mertes scored 13 points for the Falcons and made a team-high four 3-pointers.
• Ohta pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and dished out a game-high six assists while adding seven points for SPU.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• SPU's quick start on Saturday gave them a lead that they held for 99 percent of the game.
• Kearns set a new career-high with 32 points, besting her previous career-high of 26 points set last Thursday night.
  • She added a career-high 14 made free throws, doubling her previous career-best of seven made free throws against Western Washington on Feb. 27, 2025. 

UP NEXT
The Falcons have one road game on the schedule next week, when they'll travel to Montana State University Billings for a game on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1:00 p.m. PST.
 
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