POMONA, Ca.-19th-ranked Seattle Pacific University will square off against Alaska Fairbanks Friday night (March 9) in the early semi-final game of the women's 2001 NCAA West Region Tournament hosted by Cal Poly Pomona.

The Falcons (23-4) and host Cal Poly Pomona received first-round byes in the regional by virtue of their No. 2 and No. 1 seedings, respectively. Alaska Fairbanks advanced to the semi-final game against SPU by (20-8) defeating Cal State Bakersfield (21-7) 86-75, in the first round of the tourney. The winner of the Western Washington vs. Central Washington contest advances to play Pomona in Friday's evening semi-final (7:30).

Seattle Pacific downed Alaska Fairbanks 75-73 in Seattle in early January and won again in Alaska 53-51 a month later during regular season Pacific West Conference play. The Falcons lead the overall series with the Nanooks 27-11. Fairbanks has never beaten Seattle Pacific outside of Alaska.

The winner of tomorrow night's semi-final will advance to Saturday night's championship game (7:00).

Denise Perez led the Nanooks against Bakersfield with 27 points (12 of 17 shooting) and eight rebounds. Gus Balogh (Sr., Szombathely, Hungary) averages 18.0 points per game for Seattle Pacific.

Tip-off for SPU's semi-final is scheduled for 5:30 PM tomorrow (Friday, March 9) night.