MONMOUTH, Ore.—In a back-and-forth affair that featured 17 lead changes, Western Oregon University held off Seattle Pacific, 73-71, in GNAC men's basketball action on Saturday evening.

With a mere seven-point spread at 69-62, Western Oregon (13-4, 6-2 GNAC) created the largest lead of the game with 1:18 to play following a pair of Etan Collins free throws.  

Bursting back down the court with every remaining possession, Seattle Pacific (9-4, 6-2 GNAC) manufactured a pair of old-fashioned 3-point plays as Gavin Long and Divant'e Moffitt dropped consecutive contested layups and ensuing free throws.

The two drives pulled the Falcons to within a single point, but fouling and sending WOU's Kaleb Warner to the line with a fraction of a second remaining sealed the outcome. Warner hit the second attempt of the 1-and-1 for the final score.

WOU's win stopped a seven-game winning streak for the Falcons.

The lead exchanged hands on 14 occasions in the first half. The Falcons entered the half with a 38-34 edge and held its final advantage of 54-53 with 10:32 to play. After a free throw by Sam Simpson knotted the game at 55-55, WOU scored six straight to reestablish the cushion for the final stretch.

WOU's Darius Lubom led all scorers with 18 points that included a 5-of-6 performance from the free throw line. Warner finished with 13 points while Buster Souza added 12 points and three rebounds off the bench. Souza scored eight points on 4-for-5 in the first half alone.

With a trio of 3-point makes, Simpson paced Seattle Pacific with 16 points. Gavin Long scored 14 points while Coleman Wooten tallied eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds for SPU.

SPU outshot the home team 48.0 percent to 39.1 percent but the Wolves forced 16 turnovers compared to coughing up only five possessions in the game.

WOU will hit the road next week with games at Central Washington on Jan. 24 and at Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 26