Women's Basketball | 1/9/2010 4:12:35 PM

Box Score [Box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Seattle Pacific used a 13-1 run after the half to seize control of the game and go on to defeat the Western Oregon women's basketball team 75-62, Saturday (Jan. 9), at the New PE Building.

The Falcons won their Great Northwest Athletic Conference-opener and moved to 10-2 on the season, as the Wolves fell to 6-10 and 1-1 in the GNAC.

SPU shot 58.3-percent in the second half to extend its halftime lead from five points to 21. Daesha Henderson led the Falcons with 17 points and five steals. She was 7-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-3 from behind the arc. Megan Hoisington added 16 and six rebounds.

Katie Torland paced the Wolves with 16 points and 11 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double and fifth of the season. Hannah Whitsett also came off the bench with 11 points, including going 3-of-6 from three-point range, as the Wolves bench outscored the Falcons 35-28.

"The bench came in and did a good job providing us with energy," said Western Oregon head coach Greg Bruce. "In the second half they were able to get us back in the game by creating tempo."

After the Falcons built a 17-point lead at the 9:56 mark in the second half the Wolves answered with a 10-2 run to cut their lead to nine. However, SPU responded with two consecutive three-pointers and never saw its lead again cut to double-digits.

Western Oregon committed 24 turnovers in the contest, which Seattle Pacific converted into 31 points.

The Wolves won the rebounding battle 35-30 and outscored the Falcons 11-5 on second chance points.

"Every time we can rebound with a team it gives us a chance to win," noted Bruce. "It's all about effort and heart.

"You have to give credit to SPU," continued Bruce. "They were as well-conditioned a team as I have ever seen them."

The Western Oregon women's basketball team will now prepare to host Western Washington Thursday, Jan. 14, at 5:15 p.m.