Complete Box Score

ARCATA, Ca.-Valerie Gustafson scored a career-high 19 points and Gus Balogh had 18 as 19th ranked Seattle Pacific University dominated Humboldt State University, handing the Lumberjacks a 78-57 loss in a Pacific West Conference women's basketball game Saturday night at East Gym.

Gustafson (Fr., Black Hills, Wa.) netted 15 of her game-high point total in the first half as the Falcons (9-3, 14-3) opened up a 17-9 lead eight minutes in.

Stacie Lukkes (So., Kent, Wa./Kentwood) powered up a lay-in at the 1:16 mark, widening SPU's lead to 17. The Falcons went into the locker room with a 40-27 advantage at intermission.

Humboldt State got within eight points, 54-62 with 6:58 to play in the second half, but a 12-3 Falcon run put the visitors up by 17, 57-74 with 3:52 remaining. Stephanie Urrutia canned a pair of jumpers with just under two minutes to play to lead to the final margin.

SPU forced 31 Lumberjack turnovers and shot .492 (31-63) from the floor while Humboldt State (4-8, 6-10) connected on just 17 of 50 shots (.340) in the game.

The two teams were dead even on rebounds at 39 each

Balogh (Sr., Szombatheley, Hungary) snagged a team-high eight rebounds. Gustafson finished with five boards and guard Urrutia (So., Sunnyside, Wa.) dropped in 14 points and yanked down seven rebounds for SPU. Rebecca Lutes tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Lumberjacks.

Seattle Pacific plays a Thursday evening game with cross-town rival Seattle University before hosting Northwest Nazarene on Saturday to celebrate Homecoming. Tip-off Thursday is scheduled for 5:30 and the homecoming contest will commence at 1:30 on Saturday afternoon.

SPU 78, HSU 57

SPU:
Holme 2, Balogh 18, Guppy 6, Hughes 1, Urrutia 14, Beard 6, Daniel, Prescott 6, Lukkes 6, Gustafson 19.

HSU:
Vaefaga 7, Murphy 13, Lutes 14, Decuir 7, Harter 4, Anderson 3, Snapp, Bennett, Dodge, Sappington, Garay 7, Holsington 2.