Busy, busy. It's a busy time of year for everyone, including the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team. The 20th-ranked Falcons (1-0) play four times in a span of eight days, beginning with Tuesday night's (Nov. 20) home date with Cascade College (1-3). On Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 21) comes the first road game of the campaign at Evergreen (0-2) and Saturday afternoon (Nov. 24) SPU is back home to face San Francisco State (1-0). The final rehearsal prior to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play is Nov. 27 versus Northwest College (2-2).

Strong start. If the Falcons were frustrated by their two preseason road losses to Division I programs, they seemed to have vented those feelings in their regular season opener. Seattle Pacific showed little mercy in walloping Western Baptist 85-58 last week. In so doing, the Falcons maintained their unbeaten streak (15-0) in home openers under Coach Gordy Presnell. That was also their 23rd win in the last 24 games at Brougham Pavilion. They are 12-2 in road openers under Presnell.

Offensive clinic. SPU demonstrated its offensive might in the opener, erupting for 85 points and shooting 48 percent from the field. New center Kelley Berglund (Jr., 6-3, Port Angeles, Wa./Washington State) led all scorers with 19 points in only 26 minutes while all-conference guard Stephanie Urrutia (Jr., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa./Sunnyside) added 16 on 5-7 shooting, including a pair of 3-pointers. The Falcons led by seven at the break but then pulled away by hitting 57 percent of their shots in the second half while the Warriors managed just 28 percent (7-25). SPU blocked six shots in the final 20 minutes and forced a total of 30 turnovers, 16 via steals. Urrutia led the way with three blocks and two steals while Berglund had a pair of rejections.

Freshmen factor. Freshman forward Emily Faurholt (Fr., 5-11, Kennewick, Wa./Kennewick) was in the starting lineup and played a team-high 32 minutes, contributing 11 points and matching Berglund's game-high eight rebounds. Presnell used five freshmen in all. Trisha Hermanson (Fr., 5-6, Buckley, Wa./White River) was the first guard off the bench and had eight points, six off treys. Forward Michelle Beaumont (Fr., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) contributed seven points, seven boards and four steals. Also seeing action were Ashley Cadotte (Fr., 6-0, Oregon, City, Or./Oregon City), who had five points, and Mackenzie Duffin (Fr., 6-2, Kent, Wa./Kent-Meridian), who had two points.

Put-backs. The Falcons, behind Urrutia, Hermanson, Cadotte and Faurholt, hit 6-9 3-pointers, marking only the second time since the 1999-00 season that they hit over 50 percent from outside the arc. The team also hit 21-26 at the foul line...Kristin Poe (So., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa./Enumclaw) started at forward and had nine points and four steals...Point guard Kerie Hughes (Jr., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa./Mt. Vernon) played 25 minutes, scoring six points...Valerie Gustafson (So., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) did not play last week due to an ear infection.

Opponents & series notes. SPU has never faced Cascade College. The Portland-based Thunderbirds are rivals of Western Baptist in the Cascade Conference...The Falcons are 2-0 all-time versus Evergreen. In the most recent meeting, SPU handed the Geoducks an 85-60 loss at the pavilion in 1998-99...Seattle Pacific is 3-0 all-time against San Francisco State. The Gators, who visit Western Washington Friday (Nov. 23), opened with a 65-61 win over Holy Names...SPU is 19-0 vs. Northwest College, including a pair of wins last season.

Tickets please. General admission for all SPU home games are $5 with students, youth and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Reserved tickets for doubleheaders are priced at $7 and $6. Teams or groups can quality for discount rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaches. Coach Gordy Presnell began the 2001-02 campaign needing just 15 wins to reach the coveted 300-victory milestone. Presnell has never registered a losing season in 14 years at the helm of the Seattle Pacific University basketball program. He took a team that had not recorded a winning record in nine seasons or earned a trip to the postseason and transformed it into a Division II powerhouse. During his tenure, the Falcons have averaged more than 20 wins per season and qualified for the playoffs nine times, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1998. Lynne DeYoung is in her fifth season as an assistant coach under Presnell after recording a handful of three-point shooting records for the Falcons. Brett Hecko enters his first as an assistant coach this season.