BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Nov. 25) -- Nick Johnson scored 10 of his career-high 24 points during a key 8-minute stretch of the second half, leading 17th-ranked Seattle Pacific University to its second win in as many nights, 71-66 over Tarleton State in the second round of the Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic Saturday night at Carver Gym.

Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) helped hold the Texans at bay during their final push. After Tarleton (2-2) came within 49-44, Johnson answered by scoring seven of the Falcons' (2-1) next 10 points and a 59-50 lead with 7:47 left. He later added three free throws to raise the lead to 12 points (69-57).

Johnson, whose previous career-high was 17 points in the first game of the season, made 6-9 field goals, including 4-6 treys. He was 8-10 at the line and had seven rebounds and three assists. John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca.) added 17 points and Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) 10 and eight rebounds for Seattle Pacific, which outscored the Texans 20-11 at the foul line. Tarleton State was topped by Andy Hudson's 23. Collat Johnson contributed 11 plus 11 rebounds. The Texans shot just 41 percent from the field (23-56) while SPU hit 47 percent (21-45).

The Falcons spotted the Texans an early 11-2 lead but then went on a 13-2 run, punctuated by a Johnson three-pointer, to take the lead. Hubbard hit a pair of treys and scored eight points during a spree of 12 unanswered points for a 33-20 bulge after 14 minutes.

SPU opens Pacific West Conference play Thursday byreturning to Bellingham toface Western Washington.

SEATTLE PACIFIC --
Stone 10, Hubbard 17, E. Sandrin 6, Bellessa 1, N. Johnson 24, Fox 2, Harris 0, Walker 3, Woodard 5, D. Sandrin 3.

TARLETON STATE--
C.Johnson 11, Hudson 23, Lewis0, Reisman 9, Arledge 6, Robinson 12, McHale 0, Manderson 4, Clark 1.

Halftime--SPU 36, TSU 31.