This week...
Thr., Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL v SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.
Sat., Jan. 13, 7 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL v NORTHWEST NAZARENE, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.

Complete 2000 Schedule

Absent yet present...
Although absent from the national rankings for the first time in a year, Seattle Pacific University will be present in Brougham Pavilion this week for its only two home games during January. The Falcons (1-2-, 8-3), whose six-game win streak was snapped last week, will face crosstown neighbor Seattle University (2-2, 5-8) Thursday night (Jan. 11) and division leader Northwest Nazarene (4-0, 7-6) Saturday night (Jan. 13) before beginning a four-game travel junket around the West Division of the Pacific West Conference.

49 of 51 ain't bad...
If February promises to be a great month to be a Falcon fan, then January is the time to be their travel agent. Seven of the first nine PacWest games are on the road whereas beginning Feb. 1 the team leaves King County only once in its final nine regular season games. The former can be unsettling news because this conference is notorious for the degree of difficulty in winning away games. For instance, SPU has been victorious in 49 of its last 51 conference home games. On the road this year in the PacWest, visitors are 6-13.

Locked and loaded...
Despite last week's setback, a 103-96 loss at Chaminade, Seattle Pacific is again looking poised for a run at a seventh NCAA Division II berth in 11 years under Coach Ken Bone. Two of the three losses were to teams currently ranked among the top 20 (No. 15 Cal State San Bernardino and No. 19 Western Washington) by a combined margin of 10 points. Bone has successfully reloaded following the loss of four starters from last year's Final Four club, and has the offense humming. SPU is one of the nation's top shooting teams, leading the NCAA in 3-point accuracy (48 percent) and currently second in overall field-goal percentage (.532). The team is second in the PacWest and 14th nationally with a 91.0 scoring average.

Ticket information...
Reserved seating tickets for all home games are priced $7 and $6. General admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, youth and senior citizens. Group rates are available by call (206) 281-2085 in advance. Ticket windows open one hour prior to tip-off.

Showing resolve...
Following a cold snap in his shooting at the close of December, forward John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC) has resolved to start 2001 with a bang. Hubbard hit for 51 points during the two games in Hawaii last week, including a career-high 30 in just 26 minutes at Chaminade. He did so by keeping defenses honest; popping for six 3-pointers and also going to the hole to earn 20 free throws (17 made). Hubbard is third in conference scoring, averaging 19.6 points.

What he's done lately...
While Hubbard and guard Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) combined for 41 points in the 90-76 win at Hawaii Hilo, it was forward Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) who dealt the decisive blow to the Vulcans. Stone scored seven of his 15 points during a breakaway 19-4 run in the second half. He finished the trip 12-20 from the field and totaled 10 assists, six steals and maintained his PacWest lead in blocked shots with two. Already the school's career, season and single-game record-holder for blocks, he is fast-approaching the career top five for steals (needs 12) and rebounds (needs 64).

The complete package...
Not since Carl Johnson back in 1994 have the Falcons featured a center as a focal point of their offense. But Bone has changed all that. And for good reason, because the exceptionally-talented Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) has gotten everyone's attention with his knack for providing highlight-film footage while averaging 16.0 and 6.9 rebounds. Sandrin is shooting 60 percent from the field, but not all of those shots are coming underneath; he's also connected on 9-17 treys. Defensively, he's blocked 1.3 shots.

Just for stat freaks...
Seattle Pacific has shot better than 45 percent in each of its 11 games, and hit over 50 percent in nine. During the second half of games, the Falcons have hit 55 percent from the floor. But the most telling statistics have come in the so-called hustle categories. SPU is 7-0 when it out-rebounds opponents and, defensively, its record is 7-0 when holding foes to 46 percent or less in field-goal percentage. In the three defeats, the defense has yielded an average of 96.0 points.

Series, opponent notes...
This marks the first time SPU has ever met Seattle U. in a conference game of any kind. The Redhawks and Northwest Nazarene joined the PacWest last year but not in time to be included in the conference schedule. Under Bone, the Falcons are 11-5 vs. their Capitol Hill neighbors, with wins in the last seven meetings, dating back to 1995. Seattle U., a longtime D-I program, holds the series lead at 42-27. Dave Cox, former SPU point guard during the Les Habegger era, is the SU interim head coach...Northwest Nazarene has won its first four PacWest games--three of them at home. The Crusaders trail the series 28-19.

Put-backs...
It would've taken a tall order to defeat Chaminade last week. The Silverswords took 48 trips to the foul line (made 40), shot 57 percent and four Falcons fouled out. C.J. Cowgill scored 39 points--four shy of the SPU opponent record--and made 19-21 free throws...Sandrin notched his third double-double with 16 points and 13 boards at Hilo...Johnson totaled 37 points on the trip, shooting 13-25. He remains the PacWest leader 3-point field-goal accuracy (.625, 20-32)...Stone is fourth in PacWest steals (2.1), fifth in assists/turnover ratio (2.19), sixth in free throw percentage (.867, 26-30) and eighth in assists (4.2).

S-P-U on the W-E-B...
You can follow Seattle Pacific via the world wide web. The Falcons Online features weekly releases, rosters, schedules, updated results, histories and coaching profiles for all 12 varsity sports. You're already here!

PacWest Conference Standings

Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '00-01 stats Hometown Notes
1 Jordan Lee Fr-HS 6-0 DNP University Place, Wa. Life Christian grad to redshirt
4 Abe Fox Jr-2V 6-8 2.8/2.3 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Averaging 12.2 minutes; 12 pts v Linfield
10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 4.5/1.3 ast Fox Island, Wa. Gig Harbor grad scored 14 points v TESC
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 1.4/3.3 ast Federal Way, Wa. Starter at point guard
12 Garrett Stone Fr-HS 6-4 DNP Oak Harbor, Wa. Younger brother of Brannon to redshirt
15 Nate Bramlette Fr-HS 6-0 DNP Issaquah, Wa. Skyline grad to redshirt
20 Darrell Walker Sr-TR 6-0 8.7/3.5 ast Marysville, Wa. 17-37 3-pointers, 46%
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 14.5/5.0 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. All-tourn. at WWU; 2.3 blks, 2.1 stls
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 1.4/1.4 reb Fircrest, Wa. Played in 9 games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 12.2/4.7 reb Burlington, Wa. Career-hi 24 pts v Tarleton St.; 62% 3-ptrs
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 6.1/2.3 reb Edmonds, Wa. Career-high 20 pts at Linfield; 61% FG
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 19.6/3.5 reb Inglewood, Ca. MVP of WWU tournament; 27 3-pointers
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 16.0/6.9 reb Bothell, Wa. All-Vitamilk tourn.; 60% FG, 1.3 blks
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 3.7/3.1 reb Bothell, Wa. Averaging 13.2 minutes; 61% FG
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 1.3/1.3 reb Saint Helens, Or. Played in 7 games
*projected starter
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (216-89/.708)