TACOMA, Wash. — Kylie Griffin scored a career-high 31 points to make Head Coach
Aly Lacey's collegiate debut a special one as the Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team erased a 15-point first half deficit in an 80-72 victory over Warner Pacific University in Friday's season opener inside Olson Gymnasium.
PLU (1-0) trailed by as many as 15 in the second quarter but outscored the Knights 50-29 over the final two quarters to cement the win.
"We're really proud of our group for finding a way to get it done," said Lacey.
"Griff was huge for us tonight! She gave us a sneaky 31! At halftime, we talked about continuing to compete, playing for each other, and staying connected as a team. We needed to bring more energy and urgency, and I thought our group did a great job responding."
Warner Pacific (0-1) led wire-to-wire in the first half, scoring seven of the game's opening nine points. PLU pulled within one on a
Kate Wooten jumper midway through the first quarter but the Knights scored the next eight points to establish a nine-point buffer. Warner Pacific led by 10 after one quarter of play and its lead pushed to 15 on three occasions, including on a pair of free throws with 54 seconds left before halftime but a Griffin jumper cut into the gap as the Lutes trailed 43-30 at the intermission.
A
Lilli Williams jumper made it a six point spread just under two minutes into the third before becoming a one possession contest with 6:18 left in the third on a
Kylie Griffin and one play. PLU tied the game at 49 and again at 51 before taking its first lead of the night at 57-56 on a Griffin layup to end the third.
The lead traded hands briefly to start the fourth quarter before a 10-0 Lute run put the hosts on top. Williams and Griffin accounted for all 10 points during the run with Griffin scoring another and one while later draining a three. PLU led the rest of the way, bumping its edge up to as many as 13 in the eight-point win.
Griffin led the way with 31 points and 11 rebounds while also dishing out three assists with three steals and a pair of blocks.
Brooke Chisholm scored 13 in her Lute debut while
Ghadir Ramadan added 10 off the bench.
Kate Wooten had a team-high eight assists while grabbing eight rebounds and scoring six points.
PLU shot 50.8 percent from the field (32-for-63), including a blistering 62.5 percent (10-for-16) during the squad's third quarter comeback. WPU shot just 39.1 percent (27-for-69) from the floor, including 22.2 percent (four-for-18) in the third.
"We showed a lot of fight and found a way to come together and make plays when it mattered. That's what it's all about!"
The Lutes return to the hardwood on Sunday, closing out the season opening homestand against Howard Payne University. Tipoff inside Olson Gymnasium is set for 1 p.m.
