This week...
Thr., Feb. 1, 5:30 p.m. -- WOMEN'S BASKETBALL v SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.
Sat., Feb. 3, 1:30 p.m. -- WOMEN'S BASKETBALL v NORTHWEST NAZARENE, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.

Complete 2000 Schedule

A big week awaits...
A big week awaits the 20th-ranked Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team as the Falcons (9-3, 14-3) host their next-door neighbors, celebrate homecoming and have an opportunity to be back atop the Pacific West Conference. A four-game homestand begins Thursday night (Feb. 1) when Seattle University (1-11, 3-14) visits. In Saturday's (Feb. 3) homecoming matinee, SPU plays conference leader Northwest Nazarene (10-2, 12-4) with first place likely to be on the line. Next to arrive is Western New Mexico Feb. 8.

Determined to prevail...
One of the biggest crowds of the season is sure to be on hand for Saturday's game, and the Falcons are determined not to disappoint the alums this time around. Of the two home defeats suffered in the last 18 games at Brougham Pavilion, one occurred at the 2000 homecoming game. Since then the Falcons have won 25 of 31 games, including 13 of 14 at home. They will need to hold serve at home to remain in contention for the PacWest crown. Currently SPU is tied for second place with Western Washington, just one game behind Northwest Nazarene. Coach Gordy Presnell's (14th year) team was the PacWest preseason favorite and is seeking its third conference title since 1997 and the sixth NCAA Division II tournament berth in the last seven years.

Ticket Information...
General admission tickets for all home games are priced $5, with students and senior citizens $3. Because both games this week are part of doubleheaders, reserved seating, priced $7 and $6, is also available. Ticket windows open one hour before game time

Uneeda Urrutia...
Although a 12-game home win streak was snapped Jan. 18, the Falcons have since rebounded to win three in a row, including a road sweep of Western Oregon and Humboldt State last week. On the trip, guard Stephanie Urrutia (So., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa.) proved herself to be a viable option in Presnell's offense. Urrutia racked up 32 points plus 12 rebounds and seven steals in the pair of victories. She drained five of 10 bombs from beyond the arc. In the last three outings Urrutia is averaging 15.3 points, 6.3 boards, 3.3 steals and is shooting 55 percent from the field, and six of 13 on 3-pointers.

Gus & Gus...
Urrutia's success took some pressure off of leading scorer Gus Balogh (Sr., 5-11, Szombathely, Hungary). In a relatively quiet couple of games, Balogh totaled 31 points‹13 at Western Oregon and 18 plus eight rebounds at Humboldt State. She needs just 13 points to move ahead of Tosca Lindberg (1990-93) for No. 6 on the career scoring list. The other "Gus," center Valerie Gustafson (Fr., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills), came up huge. Gustafson converted 14 of 19 shots for 32 points in the two wins, including a season-high 19 points against the Lumberjacks.

The long arms of Guppy...
Although she didn't play much in her native state due to some foul trouble, Liz Guppy (Sr., 6-3, Beaverton, Or./Westview) managed to slide into the No. 2 spot on the school's career list for blocked shots during the win over Humboldt. A pair of swats versus the Lumberjacks gave Guppy a total of 178, moving her past Kristen Carlson (1996-97). The career record is 213, set by Caroline Pfeil (1986-90).

On guards...
Urrutia and the other guards did their share, with point guard Kerie Hughes (So., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa.) putting together one of her best showings of the season at Monmouth. Hughes contributed 15 points, eight assists, five steals and five rebounds to compliment Urrutia's effort at Western Oregon. Coming off the bench, Brianne Prescott (Jr., 5-7, San Jose, Ca./Mitty-San Jose CC) hit two treys at both WOU and Humboldt. In fact, Prescott has made at least two 3-pointers in each of her last five games and is averaging 9.0 points in the last four outings. Back-up point guard Becka Beard (So., 5-4, Bremerton, Wa./King's West) played 21 minutes at Arcata, knocking down a pair of treys, making two steals and committing just one turnover.

Put-backs...
Reserve frontliner Stacie Lukkes (So., 6-0, Kent, Wa./Kentwood) continued her strong second half of the season with 12 points and 10 boards last week. Four of those caroms came at the offensive end, and she has pulled down five or more rebounds in five of the last nine games... Lukkes also had a career-high five assists at Humboldt State...Prescott, with 33 treys, has already surpassed last year's leader, Heidi Umthun, who hit 24 in 28 games. The Falcons have hit 99 which is 16 more than last season's total...Hughes leads the PacWest in steals (3.2) and is second in assists 96.2) and seventh in free throw accuracy (.789)...Balogh is second in conference scoring (17.9) and eighth in free throw percentage (.782). She slipped below 50 percent in field-goal shooting last week, to .490...Gustafson's accuracy moved her to seventh in the conference (.532)...Uruutia is fifth in steals (2.6) and Guppy sixth in blocks (1.2). Incidentally, Guppy had nine rebounds over the weekend and needs just 39 to crack the SPU career top 10...SPU is second in conference scoring, field-goal shooting (.451), free-throw shooting (.723), steals (12.2) and field-goal percentage defense (.367)...The Falcons were fourth in last week's NCAA West Region poll, behind Western Washington, Cal Poly Pomona and Central Washington. The top six teams qualify for the playoffs in March.

Opponent, series notes...
The Falcons lead the series with Seattle University 24-17, having won 10 in a row dating back to 1995-96. Balogh scored 14 to pace a 65-49 win at Connolly Center Nov. 3. The Redhawks, who employed a virtual stall offense in that game, have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight...SPU is unbeaten (5-0) versus Northwest Nazarene, Presnell's alma mater. The Crusaders have won eight of their last nine. One of their two home losses this season was to SPU Dec. 2. A Balogh double-double of 27 points and 10 rebounds paved the way. The Crusaders lead the PacWest in scoring offense (79.0), just ahead of SPU (78.7).

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
12 Becka Beard So-1V 5-4 2.8/ 1.9 ast Bremerton, Wa. 23 points, 8-8 FGs v Pacific
20 Kerie Hughes* So-1V 5-6 9.2/6.2 ast Mount Vernon, Wa. 26 points in Western win
22 Kirsten Daniel Sr-2V 5-7 1.7/1.7 reb Florence, Or. 8 points v Northwest College
23 Brianne Prescott* Jr-TR 5-7 7.3/2.1 reb San Jose, Ca. Hit 6-10 3-pointers at WWU
24 Stephanie Urrutia* So-1V 5-9 11.5/4.4 reb Sunnyside, Wa. Second on team in scoring
30 Stacie Lukkes So-1V 6-0 3.9/4.1 reb Kent, Wa. 10 points, 9 rebounds v Northwest C.
31 Kristin Poe So-1V 5-8 12.5/8.3 reb Enumclaw, Wa. Out for season with injured knee
32 Jana Holme Sr-3V 6-1 5.6/4.6 reb Tacoma, Wa. 11 points, 7 rebounds v Pacific
33 Gus Balogh* Sr-3V 5-11 17.9/4.9 reb Szombathely, Hungary Third in PWC in scoring
40 Liz Guppy* Sr-3V 6-3 7.3/5.2 reb Beaverton, Or. 2nd on school's career list in blocks
42 Valerie Gustafson* Fr-HS 6-0 8.7/4.3 reb Olympia, Wa. Career-high 19 points v Humboldt
*projected starters
Coach: Gordy Presnell (Northwest Nazarene '83) 14th year (275-114) PacWest coach of the year in '97 & '98