Complete Box Score

NAMPA, Id. (Feb. 11) ­ Behind the 12 points and 15 rebounds of Carli Grant, Seattle Pacific University overcame its poorest shooting of the season to win its 10th game in a row, 54-49 over Northwest Nazarene Saturday night at Johnson Sports Center.

Jenny Poe (Sr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa.) added 12 points for the Falcons (11-1, 17-4), who rewarded Coach Julie van Beek with a victory in her first return to her alma mater. Seattle Pacific maintained its advantage over NNU in the West Region and stayed one game back of Western Washington in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.

Brittney Kroon (Sr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) blocked six shots for SPU, becoming just the fourth NCAA Division II player with 400 career rejections. Kroon, the national leader, has 401.

Although Seattle Pacific nursed a small lead for the final 25 minutes, the outcome was uncertain until Danielle Dwello of NNU missed a jumper with 22 seconds remaining, and Grant (Sr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian) hit two free throws, making it 52-47 with 10 seconds left.

Grant grabbed 14 boards on the defensive end and hit 5 of 7 field goals from short range. She went over 1000 career points and is now four rebounds shy of becoming the second SPU player to also have 1000 rebounds.

The Falcons took their biggest lead after scoring nine unanswered points early in the second period. Grant started the spree by converting an offensive rebound and Kroon sank the final three points from the foul line for a 36-25 advantage.

The Crusaders closed with 39-38 on a Dwello basket but Kroon scored inside and followed a block with a pair of free throws to make it 43-38. NNU got no closer than three in the final six minutes.

Seattle Pacific managed to shoot just 30.9 percent from the field, missed 12 of 13 three-point attempts and committed 27 turnovers. However, the Falcons out-rebounded the Crusaders (8-4, 14-7) 45-3, forced 26 turnovers and made 19 of 23 at the line.

SPU plays four of its final six games at home, beginning Thursday against Western Oregon.

SEATTLE PACIFIC 54, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 49
SEATTLE PACIFIC (17-4, 11-1 GNAC) Poe,Jenny 5-16 2-2 12; Grant,Carli 5-7 2-2 12; Kroon,Brittney 2-5 5-7 9; Fielding,Autumn 1-5 4-4 7; Christensen,Beth 1-2 3-4 5; Wood,Mandy 1-13 2-2 4; Hill,Kelsey 1-4 1-2 3; Strand,Rachel 1-2 0-0 2; Menkens,Jessie 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-55 19-23 54.
NORTHWEST NAZARENE (14-7, 8-4 GNAC) Metz,Jessica 5-17 0-0 13; Williams,Jennifer 4-12 0-0 8; Busch,LeeAna 3-6 0-0 6; Whipple,Mallory 3-7 0-0 6; Dwello,Danielle 1-3 2-3 4; Nance,Shaunt'e 1-6 2-4 4; Gonzalez,Kara 1-3 0-0 3; Schutte,Nicole 0-2 3-4 3; Shively,Erin 1-1 0-0 2; Burgoyne,Sara 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 19-59 7-11 49.
Halftime-SPU 27, NNU 22. 3-point goals-SPU 1-13 (Fielding,Autumn 1-5; Wood,Mandy 0-6; Menkens,Jessie 0-1; Poe,Jenny 0-1), NNU 4-9 (Metz,Jessica 3-6; Gonzalez,Kara 1-1; Dwello,Danielle 0-1; Burgoyne,Sara 0-1). Fouled out-- NNU-Gonzalez,Kara. Rebounds-SPU 45 (Grant,Carli 15), NNU 34 (Schutte,Nicole 6). Assists-SPU 5 (Wood,Mandy 3), NNU 12 (Whipple,Mallory 3). Total fouls-SPU 17, NNU 22. A-703