11/20 - SEATTLE PACIFIC 72, GEORGE FOX 46: Threes are Wild as D-II Power SPU Pulls Away from Bruins
SEATTLE, Wash. - Three three-point field goals and a three-point play in a 12-2 run early in the second half enabled Seattle Pacific University to break open a tight ballgame and lifted the Falcons, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division II, to a 72-46 win over the George Fox University Bruins in the final game of the Sodexho Tip-Off Classic Saturday night here at SPU's Brougham Pavilion.
After taking an early 4-0 lead on layups by Kellie Thomas and Erin Powers, the Bruins fell behind by as much as 14 late in the first half before three-pointers by Robin Taylor and Tiffany Behary and a layup by Taylor cut the Falcons' lead to 30-22 at the half. A three-pointer by Thomas brought the Bruins within four at 32-28 with 17:54 to play, but then the home team began to pull away.
Brittney Kroon started the Falcons' run with a layup and a free throw, then Michelle Beaumont, Mandy Wood, and Amy Taylor all hit treys to put SPU up 44-30. The Falcons eventually led by as many as 27 at 70-43 with four minutes left on another layup by Kroon.
Wood scored 16 to lead the Falcons, Taylor finished with 14, Beaumont had 12, and Kroon scored 11. Kroon had 8 rebounds in leading SPU to a 47-35 advantage on the boards. Wood had a game-high 5 assists, and Taylor made 5 steals. The Falcons connected on 10-25 from three-point range.
George Fox got 13 points apiece from Liz Clark and Thomas, while Taylor had 10. Clark had a game-high 12 boards. The Bruins had a tough night shooting as they hit just 15-57 from the field (.263), including 6-30 from long distance (.200), and 10-17 from the line (.588).
Clark, who collected 29 points and 21 rebounds in two games, was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with MVP Wood and Kroon of Seattle Pacific, and Jamie Corwin and Laura Wright of Central Washington University.
The Bruins, who are in Division III, dropped to 0-2 on the season, with both games against winning Division II programs. Seattle Pacific won its 62nd straight regular-season game and its 17th in a row overall at home.
George Fox is off until Tuesday, Nov. 30, when the Bruins visit Cascade College in Portland for a 7:00 p.m. contest. Seattle Pacific will travel to No. 7 University of North Dakota for its next game Friday.