SEATTLE (Jan. 15) ­ Mandy Wood scored 21 points and Carli Smith added 16 plus 10 rebounds as No. 4-ranked Seattle Pacific University won its 12th in a row, 77-68 over Saint Martin's in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball game Saturday night at Brougham Pavilion.

Wood (Jr., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) and Smith (Jr., 5-11, Spoakne, Wa./Valley Christian) each contributed 12 second-half points as the Falcons (6-0, 14-1) got a late 6-0 burst to prevail in their 48th straight GNAC contest over four seasons.

After the Saints (4-1, 10-3) pulled within 67-63 on Beth Layton's three-pointer, Wood answered with her own 22-footer from the top of the key. Michelle Beaumont (Sr., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) converted a fastbreak layup on the next possession and then Wood hit a free throw to put SPU ahead 73-63 with 2 minutes, 35 seconds remaining.

Saint Martin's, which had won its last four games, was paced by Layton's 24 points, including four treys. Martina Kartikova had 20 points and nine rebounds.

The margin of victory was the smallest for an SPU home conference game in nearly two years. It was the Falcons' 12 straight win in the series.

The Saints made a strong bid for the upset, particularly in the first half, when by as much as seven at 11-4. Seattle Pacific's reserves helped trim the lead and Wood's driving layup with 19 seconds left in the period gave the hosts the lead for good.

Smith converted 8 of 11 field goals from close range while Wood connected on 4-6 three-pointers. The Falcons shot 51 percent from the floor (29-57), including 9-21 outside the arc, while the Saints managed just 37 percent (24-65).

SPU goes on the road for its next three games, beginning Thursday at Central Washington.

SEATTLE PACIFIC 77, SAINT MARTIN'S 68
SAINT MARTIN'S COLLEGE (4-1, 10-3) Layton,Beth 8-17 4-4 24; Kartikova,Martina 8-19 3-4 20; Golob,Whitney 3-6 6-6 12; Eisentrout,Julia 2-11 1-2 6; Wick,Hilary 3-3 0-0 6; Ford,Lindsay 0-8 0-0 0; Nilson,Holly 0-0 0-0 0; Bales,KaLynn 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-65 14-16 68.
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY (6-0, 14-1) Wood,Mandy 6-9 5-6 21; Smith,Carli 8-11 0-0 16; Taylor,Amy 5-11 0-0 13; Brewe,Quinn 3-4 0-1 6; Kroon,Brittney 2-5 2-2 6; Fielding,Autumn 1-5 2-2 5; Beaumont,Michelle 1-5 1-2 3; Hermanson,Trisha 1-1 0-0 3; Strand,Rachel 1-2 0-0 2; Poe,Jenny 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 29-57 10-13 77.
Halftime-SPU 37, SMC 35. 3-point goals-SMC 6-24 (Layton,Beth 4-10; Kartikova,Martina 1-5; Eisentrout,Julia 1-2; Ford,Lindsay 0-6; Bales,KaLynn 0-1), SPU 9-21 (Wood,Mandy 4-6; Taylor,Amy 3-7; Fielding,Autumn 1-4; Hermanson,Trisha 1-1; Beaumont,Michelle 0-3). Fouled out--SMC-None, SPU-None. Rebounds-SMC 37 (Kartikova,Martina 9), SPU 37 (Smith,Carli 10). Assists-SMC 11 (Kartikova,Martina 3; Eisentrout,Julia 3), SPU 23 (Poe,Jenny 6). Total fouls-SMC 17, SPU 16. A-942