Washington Cruises Past Grand Canyon, 79-65

Sunday, December 10

Seattle, WA

12:00 PM

University of Washington

5-4

Grand Canyon

2-8

Grand Canyon

Washington

December 10, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SEATTLE --- Amber Melgoza scored 18 points and Fapou Semebene had season-highs with 11 points and 11 rebounds to record her first double-double as Washington cruised to a 79-65 win over Grand Canyon on Sunday afternoon at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The Huskies improve to 5-4 with their third win in their last four games and move to 3-1 at home. The Lopes fall to 2-8 on the season.

Melgoza scored in double figures for the third-straight game and the seventh time in nine games this season, hitting 9-of-16 from the field, adding two steals, two assists, and three rebounds.

Semebene—the team's leading rebounder coming into the game—recording a season-high 11 rebounds including six on the offensive glass, adding 11 rebounds, two steals and a block.

Jenna Moser contributed 14 points for the Huskies with 10 coming in the fourth quarter while Mai-Loni Henson and Alexis Griggsby each added 11 points.

All nine Washington players to play in the game scored and had at least one rebound with all but one also recording a steal.

Washington's defense continued to pace its offense as the Huskies forced 21 turnovers and turned them into 26 points. UW also held a commanding 48-14 edge in the paint, its highest total in the paint this season.

The Huskies broke open an early tie with a long 17-2 run over a nearly four-minute stretch to take a commanding 24-9 lead nearly 7:30 into the game. Melgoza had six of her points in the first quarter with all coming during the long stretch including a fast-break bucket off a steal by Henson to cap the run.

After five quick points by the Lopes, Henson hit a jumper in the lane to cap the scoring with UW leading 26-14 and give all nine Huskies points in the first quarter.

Washington would stretch the lead up to 18 at 40-22 with four minutes left in the second quarter as Melgoza scored six of eight points in an 8-2 UW run. But Grand Canyon closed the half on a 9-2 run and the Huskies held a 42-31 lead heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Washington used a 9-0 run midway through the period to take its largest lead of the game at 53-34 with 2:35 left and held a 56-39 lead going to the fourth quarter.

In the final period, Moser took over for the Huskies, scoring eight-straight points thanks to a pair of three-pointers and a back door layup as the teams exchanged buckets through much of the period. Grand Canyon closed the game on a 6-2 run after Washington had taken an 18-point lead on two occasions. The Lopes ended up scoring nine of their last 11 points from the free throw line but Washington held on for the win.

The Huskies shot 43.1 percent in the game while holding Grand Canyon to just 37.7 percent shooting. It was the fourth time this season Washington has limited its opponent to a shooting percentage under 45 percent with the Huskies winning all four. Washington also improved to 5-0 when leading at the half.

The Huskies head back on the road for their next game, traveling to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to face North Carolina at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT) on Sunday in their penultimate non-conference game of the season. It will be the first game away from Chapel Hill for UNC (8-2) as the Tar Heels have played their first 10 games at Carmichael Arena.