Complete Box Score

SPOKANE, Wa. (Nov. 30) Kelsey Hill scored a career-high 18 points for the Falcons, but Gonzaga pulled away early in the second half and defeated Seattle Pacific 74-58 in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at Gonzaga’s McCarthey Center.

The Falcons (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season in their first meeting against a Division I opponent since they defeated Portland State in the 1996-97 season. Gonzaga improved to 6-3 on the year.

Hill (So., 6-2, Portland, Or./Portland Christian) shot 8-for-10 from the field and also grabbed seven rebounds to pace the Falcons. Leading scorer Jackie Hollands (Jr., 5-9, Oregon City, Or.) added 11 points off the bench. SPU’s bench, which has outscored its opponents in all four games this season, provided a 23-19 advantage for the Falcons.

Gonzaga, however, got a game-high 23 points from Heather Bowman, who led three Bulldogs starters in double figures. She also matched SPU’s Hill for game-high honors with seven rebounds. Michelle Elliott added 14 points and five rebounds in the victory. Stephanie Hawk scored 10 points and also grabbed five boards.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 15 in the first half, but the Falcons cut the deficit to 10 at the half and back into single figures early in the second. Bowman, Elliott and Hawk each scored baskets as the Bulldogs responded with a 6-0 run and brought their lead back up to 15 with 15:08 remaining. Gonzaga led by double figures throughout the remainder of the game as the teams essentially traded baskets the rest of the way.

The Falcons shot a season-best 42 percent from the field and matched the Zags in most statistical categories. The difference came way of 22 GU points scored off 19 Seattle Pacific turnovers. The Bulldogs turned the ball over just 10 times, for nine SPU points.

The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range, but made just 6-of-16 (38 percent) free-throw attempts. The Falcons went to the line just four times, connecting on three.

The Falcons host undefeated Lewis-Clark State, ranked No. 10 in NAIA Division I, Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

GONZAGA 74, SEATTLE PACIFIC 58
SEATTLE PACIFIC (3-1) Hill,Kelsey 8-10 2-2 18; Menkens,Jessie 4-7 0-0 11; Magnuson,Libby 2-9 0-0 6; Hollands,Jackie 3-9 0-0 6; Christensen,Beth 2-5 0-0 5; Strand,Rachel 2-9 0-0 4; Hoisington,Megan 1-1 0-0 3; Henderson,Daesha 1-1 0-0 2; Fielding,Autumn 1-4 0-0 2; Schaar,Lexi 0-2 1-2 1; Christensen,Jessie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 3-4 58.
GONZAGA (6-3) BOWMAN, Heather 10-15 3-4 23; ELLIOTT, Michelle 6-12 0-0 14; HAWK, Stephanie 4-8 1-3 10; RIDENOUR, Katy 2-2 0-0 6; SANTOS, Simone 2-5 0-0 4; FRIESON, Vivian 2-8 0-2 4; HASSETT, Maria 1-2 2-7 4; BJORKLUND, Jami 2-9 0-0 4; KANE, Rachel 1-4 0-0 3; POLISHCHUK, Sasha 1-3 0-0 2; BROWN, Amanda 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-68 6-16 74.

Seattle Pacific............... 27 31 - 58 
Gonzaga....................... 37 37 - 74

3-point goals-Seattle Pacific 7-23 (Menkens,Jessie 3-5; Magnuson,Libby 2-7; Christensen,Beth 1-1; Hoisington,Megan 1-1; Fielding,Autumn 0-2; Strand,Rachel 0-2; Hollands,Jackie 0-5), Gonzaga 6-19 (RIDENOUR, Katy 2-2; ELLIOTT, Michelle 2-6; KANE, Rachel 1-4; HAWK, Stephanie 1-2; BJORKLUND, Jami 0-1; HASSETT, Maria 0-1; FRIESON, Vivian 0-2; BOWMAN, Heather 0-1). Fouled out—Seattle Pacific-None, Gonzaga-None. Rebounds-Seattle Pacific 35 (Hill,Kelsey 7), Gonzaga 42 (BOWMAN, Heather 7). Assists-Seattle Pacific 16 (Christensen,Beth 6), Gonzaga 24 (POLISHCHUK, Sasha 6; KANE, Rachel 6). Total fouls-Seattle Pacific 16, Gonzaga 10. A-926.