No. 1 SPU Women Win at Central Washington, Finish Regular Season Unbeaten
March 6, 2004

ELLENSBURG (Mar. 6) – Valerie Gustafson pumped in 19 points and Kristin Poe added 16 to pace No. 1-ranked Seattle Pacific University to a 73-57 win over Central Washington and an unbeaten record in the women’s basketball regular season Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

With the victory, the Falcons (18-0, 27-0) extended their regular season win streak to 60 games and their Great Northwest Athletic Conference total to 42 in a row. Seattle Pacific expects to receive the top seed and be named as host of the NCAA West Regional, which begins Friday. The NCAA will announce the Division II bracket Sunday night (Mar. 7).

The loss may have knocked the Wildcats (11-7, 17-10) out of playoff contention. They had entered the week ranked No. 9 in the West. The top eight make the regional tournament.

Gustafson (Sr., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) and reserved guard Mandy Wood (So., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) sparked a decisive 13-2 run midway through the second half. Gustafson sank four free throws and Wood had seven points, including a punctuating three-pointer for a 55-38 lead with 9:49 left. Central got no closer than 11 the rest of the way.

Wood finished with 11 points and Michelle Beaumont (Jr., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) had 12. Seattle Pacific shot 54 percent in the second period and 47 percent (25-53) from the floor overall. Gustafson scored 11 of her points in the second half and was 7-10 from the foul line. The team hit 20-26 free throws. Poe (Sr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa.) also had six rebounds.

Central Washington got 16 points from Angela Jensen but the Wildcats could hit only 31 percent (22-70 and were out-rebounded 41-36. Carli Smith (S0., 5-11, Spokane, Wa.) had nine boards Brittney Kroon (So., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) blocked five shots.

The Falcons led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but the Wildcats closed with a rush, cutting the deficit to 31-25 on Jensen’s trey at the buzzer. A three-pointer by Beaumont had given the visitors a 29-15 advantage but SPU did not score in the final 2:30 of the period.

This is the second year in a row that Seattle Pacific has finished the regular season undefeated in taking the GNAC championship. The Falcons’ last loss was to Cal State Bakersfield in the West Region championship game last March.

SEATTLE PACIFIC 73, CENTRAL WASHINGTON 57

SEATTLE PACIFIC (27-0, 18-0 GNAC) - Gustafson,Valerie 6-11 7-10 19; Poe,Kristin 5-11 5-6 16; Beaumont,Michelle 5-9 1-2 12; Wood,Mandy 4-7 2-2 11; Kroon,Brittney 2-2 2-2 6; Poe,Jenny 3-3 0-0 6; Taylor,Amy 0-8 2-2 2; Smith,Carli 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 25-53 20-26 73.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON (17-10, 11-7 GNAC) - Jensen,Angela 6-11 2-4 16; Wright,Laura 5-16 1-4 11; Ainslie,Loni 4-9 0-0 11; Weiss,Lindsay 2-13 0-0 5; Hover,Moriah 1-4 2-2 4; Avila,Yvette 1-5 0-0 3; Blake,Ashley 1-2 0-0 3; Vincent,Alayna 1-6 0-0 2; Ellis,Kelsey 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 22-70 5-10 57.

Halftime-Seattle Pacific 31, Central Washington 25. 3-point goals-Seattle Pacific 3-10 (Poe,Kristin 1-2; Beaumont,Michelle 1-2; Wood,Mandy 1-2; Taylor,Amy 0-4), Central Washington 8-24 (Ainslie,Loni 3-7; Jensen,Angela 2-6; Weiss,Lindsay 1-6; Avila,Yvette 1-2; Blake,Ashley 1-1; Ellis,Kelsey 0-1; Hover,Moriah 0-1). Fouled out--Seattle Pacific-None, Central Washington-None. Rebounds-Seattle Pacific 41 (Smith,Carli 9), Central Washington 36 (Wright,Laura 9). Assists-Seattle Pacific 15 (Taylor,Amy 6), Central Washington 12 (Jensen,Angela 6). Total fouls-Seattle Pacific 13, Central Washington 17. A-412