SEATTLE (Nov. 27) -- Nick Johnson's 19 points and eight rebounds helped propel 16th-ranked Seattle Pacific University to its third win in a row, 103-66 over Northwest College in a nonconference men's basketball game Tuesday night at Brougham Pavilion.

Yusef Aziz (Jr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster-Highline CC) added 17 points plus nine steals and Maurice Cato (Jr., 6-0, Fairfield, Ca.) 16 for the Falcons (3-1), who topped 100 points for the first time in the last 25 games. They are off to their best start in three years.

SPU hosts Hawaii Pacific in a nonconference game Saturday before beginning Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Dec. 6 at Central Washington.

SPU bolted to an early lead and then began to bury the Eagles (3-4) with a 31-3 run in the final eight minutes of the first half. Johnson (Sr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison), who had 17 of his points in the first 15 minutes, hit 8 of his first 10 field goals and the Falcons connected on 64 percent from the floor in the first half. They converted 26-30 free throws for the game and out-boarded the visitors 44-25.

Brannon Stone (Sr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) got 11 of his 13 points in the opening period and also had seven assists. Gene Woodard (Jr., 6-4, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea) came off the bench for 12 and seven boards.

Aziz, who also had eight rebounds, just missed tying the school record of 10 steals, set by Ritchie McKay in 1986-87.

Northwest College was led by the 15 points and seven rebounds of Tyrone Ellis. The Eagles were guilty of 27 turnovers and shot just 30 percent in the first half. SPU finished 36-73 from the field (49 percent).

NORTHWEST COLLEGE -- Williams 7, Prohn 8, Bull 7, Fulford 5, Schneider 12, Brogrand 0, Wildeboer 2, Swinyard 8, Lindseth 2, Krismanudo 0, Jenkins 0, Ellis 15, Lynn 0.

SEATTLE PACIFIC -- Cato 16, Aziz 17, Stone 13, Johnson 19, E. Sandrin 9, Lee 6, Bellessa 0, Sundberg 0, Keely 2, Woodard 12, D. Sandrin 9, Cohen 0.

Halftime--SPU 63, NWC 25.