Yellowjackets Get Shut Down by Falcons

Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash.–  Seattle Pacific used solid three-point shooting in the first half to pave the way for a 66-46 win over Montana State Billings, Saturday afternoon.  The Falcons shot 63.6% (7-11) from behind the arc in the opening 20 minutes.  MSUB returns home, Saturday, Feb. 7, to play No. 1 Alaska Anchorage.  The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.

The first eight minutes of the game saw a tight contest.  Seattle Pacific took the early lead on a  free throw from Kelsey Hill just thirteen seconds after tip-off.  At the 18:57 mark, Kayla Ryan tipped in a missed shot to give MSUB a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons came back with a layup from Daesha Henderson with 18:11 to go.  One minute later, Alira Carpenter dropped in a triple from downtown to make it 5-3, Jackets.  SPU tied it up with 16:59 left on a pair of charity tosses from Henderson.

Carpenter responded with a 13-footer at the 15:47 mark to make it 7-5.  Hill hit a lay-up and Maddie Maloney drained a three-pointer.  That put SPU back on top, 10-7 with 14:20 to go.

Kayla Ryan hit a free throw and then drove the lane and scored.  That tied it up at 10 at the 13:29 mark.  Seattle Pacific came back with an 8-2 run to lead by six, 18-12 with 10:49 to go.

Kalli Stanhope swung to the outside and hit a three-pointer to close the gap to three, 18-15 at the 9:08 mark.  SPU built the lead back up to nine, 26-17 with 7:38 to go.

Montana State Billings forced two turnovers in the next minute.  Carpenter converted on both of them with jumpers.  That moved the Yellowjackets to within five, 26-21 with 6:32 to go.

The Falcons then turned it up a notch scoring nine straight points to lead by 15, 36-21 with 3:29 to go.  SPU finished the half on a 17-8 run to lead by 14, 43-29.

Montana State Billings came for the second half running.  Ryan hit two free throws and Jen Smith sliced and diced through traffic for a bucket.  That cut the margin to 10, after just two minutes of play.

Mandy Jacobs came off the bench and immediately nailed a three-pointer.  That closed the gap to 12, 50-38 with 15:10 to go.  The Falcons responded by scoring six straight points.  The Jackets could not get closer than 16 the rest of the way.

For Montana State Billings (3-5 GNAC, 11-8), Carpenter had 18 points with two triples and Ryan scored 15 points and was 9-of-12 from the line.

For No. 14 Seattle Pacific (6-2 GNAC, 13-4), Henderson had 17 points and five assists, Maloney scored 11 while Lisa Cannon and Hill had 10 points each.