This week...
Thr., Jan. 18, 7 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at CENTRAL WASHINGTON, Nicholson Pavilion, Ellensburg, Wa.
Sat., Jan. 20, 7 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at SAINT MARTIN'S, Saint Martin's Pavilion, Lacey, Wa.

Complete 2000 Schedule

Hit the road, guys...
Nod if you've heard this one before: College basketball team starts so-so, closes ranks, gets hot down the stretch and plays for a berth in the Elite Eight. That's been the drill for Seattle Pacific University for four of the last five seasons, and it's beginning to hold true once again here in 2001. The Falcon men (3-2, 10-3), after winning eight of their last nine, will truly test their mettle in the next couple weeks as they play four consecutive Pacific West Conference games on the road, beginning Thursday (Jan. 18) at Central Washington (3-2, 8-5). Saturday (Jan. 20), SPU is at Saint Martin's (1-4, 6-8) before traveling to Humboldt State and Western Oregon next week.

Iceberg in Ellensburg...
There are no easy road games in the PacWest, and that's understating Seattle Pacific's plight in Ellensburg, where it has not beaten Central Washington in 17 years. Although the Falcons have come close on occasion (five losses by five points or less), they have dropped 10 straight games to the Wildcats on their home floor since 1984. Coach Ken Bone (11th year) knows his team will likely need an away sweep this week to remain in contention for defending its conference crown. Ironically, SPU claimed the PacWest in its last visit to Ellensburg, defeating BYU Hawaii in the now-defunct conference tournament last March. The last time the two teams met was last the 2000 NCAA West Region championship game in Brougham Pavilion, which the Falcons won 85-72 to advance to the Elite Eight.

Trey magnifique...
If opponents learn anything about SPU from watching a few hours of videotape, it's this: don't leave the perimeter shooters open. The Falcons have punished foes and have gone to the top of NCAA Division II by hitting 48 percent of their 3-pointers. Each of the four players with 20 or more treys are shooting 40 percent or better from outside the arc, including guard Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison), who's made 60 percent (21-35) to lead the conference. Zone 'em and they shoot over the top. Bring the defense out and that leaves the underbelly exposed. Seattle Pacific is third in overall field-goal accuracy (52 percent) and is scoring 89.5 points per game.

Cupboard's not bare...
Ol' Mother Hubbard might have gone to the cupboard but John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC) just goes to the basket. Hubbard is having the best scoring season of any player in the past decade, save record-setter Jeff McBroom in 1999. Whether it's launching high-arching 3-pointers or smoothly driving baseline, Hubbard can flat-out score. In just 17 minutes of duty versus Seattle University last week he poured in 21 points. He leads the team and ranks fourth in the conference with a season scoring average of 19.3 despite playing just 25.1 minutes. In the past 30 years only four SPU players have finished with a season average above 19.0, topped by McBroom at 24.1. As a sixth man last season, Hubbard earned all-conference recognition with a 13.7 average.

Whole lotta shakin'...
Bone exercised his right to change the starting lineup last week, with nine different players getting the call. Only center Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) started in both the 84-55 demolition of Seattle University and the 79-66 win over Northwest Nazarene. In fact, Sandrin, the team's leading rebounder (6.9) and No. 2 scorer (15.2), is the only player to start all 13 games. Making the most of his first collegiate start was guard Adam Harris (So., 6-0, Fox Island, Wa./Gig Harbor), who made 7-8 free throws in the final four minutes as the Falcons held on against the Crusaders after building a 25-point cushion. Harris is second in conference 3-point accuracy, shooting 59 percent (10-17).

Insurance policy...
It's nice to know that even when the shots aren't falling the team can still find ways to win. Against Northwest Nazarene, the Falcons hit under 45 percent from the field (43 percent) for the first time this season. In fact, during the final 10 minutes the team made only two baskets--both by forward Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.). To compensate for the inadvertent stall, SPU played sufficient defense (the Crusaders shot just 40 percent) and won the battle of the boards, 37-34. Stone, who shot just 4-13, scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Seattle Pacific is 9-0 when out-rebounding opponents and 5-0 when opposing teams shoot 40 percent or worse from the field. And although the focus has been primarily on the Falcons' offense, they also lead the PacWest in rebounding margin (+6.9) and are fifth in defensive field-goal percentage (.442).

Series, opponent notes...
Central Washington was swept on the road last week at Humboldt State and Western Oregon, but has won 12 of its last 14 home games. Forward Justin Thompson is the PacWest's No. 3 scorer, averaging 19.4 points. The Wildcats have won the last four conference meetings with SPU, including a 113-108 decision in Ellensburg a year ago. CWU leads the series 57-29, including a 32-8 mark at home, but Bone's teams are 9-9 in the last 10 years...SPU has won four of its last six games at Nicholson Pavilion. The Falcons swept Western Washington and BYU Hawaii to take the PacWest tourney and, in 1999, defeated Hawaii Pacific and UC Davis in the West Regional before falling to Cal State San Bernardino...Saint Martin's has lost three of its last four and sits at the bottom of the West Division. The Saints have beaten SPU only once in the last 15 meetings and trail the series 68-31.

Put-backs...
SPU was successful in its appeal to the NCAA for a waiver for the loss of a 22nd game with a Division I or II member. Harding, which was unable to travel to the scheduled Dec. 30 game, has indicated it will not make-up the game. A condition of the waiver stipulates that the Falcons only fill the date with a Div. I or II team...The Falcons were 14-31 from 3-point range last week but also drove to the basket. They took 67 free throws. The bad news: they missed 22 of those foul shots...Stone was 8-8 from the line and is sixth in conference accuracy (.895). He is the leader in blocked shots (1.9) and seventh in steals (1.9)...Darrell Walker (Sr., 6-0, Marysville, Wa./M'ville-Pilchuck-EWU) sank 3-5 treys vs. NNU and is seventh in PWC 3-point percentage (.476). He is second on the team in both assists (3.5) and steals (1.2) while averaging 8.4 points off the bench.

S-P-U on the W-E-B...
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PacWest Conference Standings

Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '00-01 stats Hometown Notes
4 Abe Fox Jr-2V 6-8 2.9/2.2 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Averaging 11.9 minutes; 12 pts v Linfield
10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 5.0/1.3 ast Fox Island, Wa. Gig Harbor grad scored 14 points v TESC
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 1.9/3.3 ast Federal Way, Wa. Starter at point guard
20 Darrell Walker Sr-TR 6-0 8.4/3.5 ast Marysville, Wa. 20-42 3-pointers, 48%
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 14.2/5.5 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. All-tourn. at WWU; 1.9 blks, 1.8 stls
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 1.5/1.4 reb Fircrest, Wa. Played in 11 games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 12.0/4.5 reb Burlington, Wa. Career-hi 24 pts v Tarleton St.; 60% 3-ptrs
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 5.8/2.3 reb Edmonds, Wa. Career-high 20 pts at Linfield; 61% FG
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 19.3/3.3 reb Inglewood, Ca. MVP of WWU tournament; 32-80 3-pointers
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 15.2/6.9 reb Bothell, Wa. All-Vitamilk tourn.; 56% FG, 1.2 blks
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 3.7/3.3 reb Bothell, Wa. Averaging 13.8 minutes; 55% FG
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 1.0/1.2 reb Saint Helens, Or. Played in 9 games
*projected starter
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (218-89/.710)