CEDAR CITY, Utah - Dec. 17 - Challis Pascucci paced the Thunderbirds with a balanced effort as the junior turned in 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal as SUU posted a 72-62 exhibition victory over the Westminster Griffins on Thursday night.
"Westminster came in ready to play tonight," head coach JR Payne said. "They came out and fought hard and made it a game. I was proud of some individual efforts from our girls, but that wasn't one of our best team efforts."
Southern Utah started the night with the opening basket of the game as Pascucci put the first lights on the score board with her layup two minutes into the contest. However, a slow streak seized the home team as Westminster built an 11-8 lead with 11:30 to play.
The Thunderbirds began to settle into their groove as Jadie Parsons' 3-point basket and free throws on an ensuing possessions tied the game at 11-11 and then gave SUU a 13-11 lead. The home team would hold onto the lead the remainder of the half, building the differential to as much as 17 (33-16) following a 16-0 run late in the frame.
Caitlyn Sears' 3-point field goal with 28 seconds to go in the first half kept the 16-point margin at half as the Thunderbirds took a 40-24 lead into the locker rooms.
The Griffins came out of the half with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to single digits (42-33) for the first time since the 4:55 mark in the first half. The seven-point margin was as close as Westminster would come over the final 20 minutes as Southern Utah answered runs with counter runs, building the lead to as much as 15 on two occasions during the final stanza.
Allie Eastman's 3-point shot with 48 seconds to play pulled the game to within seven (69-62) for the third time during the half, but a layup by Parsons and free throw from Kaila Goff built the lead back to double digits, giving the T-Birds a 72-62 victory at the final whistle.
Pascucci led all scorers, but was joined in double figures by Parsons with ten and Stephanie Sampson with a season-high 11 points. Keshia Catten and Eastman led the Griffins with 13 followed by McKenzie Jessop and Dani Evans with ten. Goff appeared in her first game of the season for Southern Utah, playing 15 minutes and dishing out a team-high three assists.
The game with Westminster marked the first of four games for the Thunderbirds in a span of seven days, the stretch will continue on Saturday when Southern Utah travels to Boulder, Colo. to face the Colorado Buffaloes. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with live stats and video anticipated to be available via www.suutbirds.com.
