Women's Basketball | 2/12/2009 11:21:56 PM

Box Score [Box score]

SEATTLE - The No. 17 ranked Seattle Pacific Falcons used a 13-2 run to open the second half to earn a 65-48 victory over the Western Oregon University women's basketball team in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game, Thursday, Feb. 12.

Seattle Pacific (16-4, 9-2 GNAC) hit five of its first six shots in the second half to break a 28-28 halftime score. SPU was aided by seven Western Oregon (8-13, 3-7) turnovers and three missed field goals during its 13-2 run. 

Katie Torland registered her fourth double-double of the season with a game-best 21 points and 10 rebounds. She went seven for 15 from the field including four of six from three-point range. Erika Wilson was the Wolves only other double-digit scorer with 13. Kelsey Hill led three Falcon players in double-figures with 15 points.

The Falcons had a 44-18 scoring advantage in the paint as they shot .500 percent for the game. Western Oregon managed to force SPU into 22 turnovers, four above the Falcon's season average, but the Wolves had 27 turnovers of its own, including 25 by its starters.

In the first half, Western Oregon fell behind 22-13 before putting on a 13-0 run to take the lead at 26-22. Torland scored 11 of the 13 points during this stretch including knocking down three three-pointers. After falling behind 41-30 in the second half, WOU got two Torland layups sandwiched around a SPU free throw to pull to within eight at 42-34 but that is as close as the Wolves would get.

"We played a solid first half with an improved defensive effort which was able to cause Seattle Pacific some problems in transitions and forced them to play our game," WOU head coach Greg Bruce said. "In the second half we didn't handle their pressure as well and they did a good job exposing us."

The Western Oregon women's basketball team will now return home to face Montana State Billings (11-9, 3-6) on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 2:00 p.m.

"Montana State Billings will be fired up to play us," noted Bruce. "We were able to beat them at their place (68-64, Jan. 17) and I am sure they will be looking for revenge."