SEATTLE (Jan. 31) -- Maurice Cato stroked four three-pointers, scored 19 points and passed for six assists as 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific University extended its home win streak to 11 games with a 74-59 victory over Saint Martin's in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference basketball game at Brougham Pavilion Thursday night.

Yusef Aziz (Jr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster-Highline CC) and Nick Johnson (Sr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) each added 15 points for the Falcons (9-1, 17-2), who overcame a slow start to beat the Saints (5-5, 7-11) for the 18th time in the last 19 meetings.

Nick Gibbs paced Saint Martin's with 14 points but the other four starters combined to shoot just 10-32 from the field. The Saints had won five of their previous six outings and were coming off a road win at Central Washington.

Brannon Stone (Sr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) helped Seattle Pacific secure the result in the final eight minutes. After the Saints pulled to within four points, Stone drove for layups on consecutive possessions and Cato buried a trey for a 60-48 advantage. Saint Martin's got no closer than 11 the rest of the way. Stone finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

In the first half, Cato (Jr., 6-0, Fairfield, Ca.) stretched the Saint Martin's zone with three long-range treys and Johnson sliced through the gaps after the defense was extended.

After a sluggish first 10 minutes, an active 2-3 zone and timely outside shooting helped spur Seattle Pacific on a 20-3 run. Cato connected on 3-4 three-pointers, the last one putting SPU in front 29-17.

The Saints made just one field goal in the final 9:30, missing eight shots in a row at one point and committing seven turnovers during that span. Aziz capitalized on the turnovers, scoring seven of the points by finishing the break.

Saint Martin's made just 42 percent of its field goals and made 22 turnovers while SPU shot 46 percent and was 23 for 29 at the foul line.

Gerrit Eades, who was averaging 16.4 points, finished with just six, missing six of seven field goals.

SPU hosts Central Washington in its annual homecoming game Saturday at 3:30 before playing its next five on the road.

ST. MARTIN'S -- Gruhler 3-5 0-0 7, Everson 2-10 0-0 4, Cherry 4-10 5-6 13, Eades 1-7 3-4 6, Gibbs 6-8 2-3 14, Barnes 0-0 0-0 0, Lee 0-1 0-0 0, Bauer 3-6 2-2 9, Grant 1-1 3-4 6, Gomez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 15-19 59.

SEATTLE PACIFIC -- Cato 5-8 5-6 19, Aziz 4-7 7-11 15, Stone 3-12 4-4 10, Johnson 6-9 2-2 15, E. Sandrin 0-3 2-2 2, Lee 1-1 0-0 3, Bellessa 0-0 0-0 0, Keely 0-0 0-0 0, Woodard 1-1 0-0 3, Sundberg 0-0 0-0 0, D. Sandrin 1-4 2-2 4, Cohen 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 22-48 23-29 74.

Halftime--SPU 33, SMC 22. 3-Point Goals--SMC 4-12 (Gruhler, Eades, Bauer, Grant), SPU 7-17 (Cato 4, Johnson, Lee, Woodard). Fouled out--Eades, Gibbs. Rebounds--SMC 28 (Eades 9), SPU 30 (Stone 11). Assists--SMC 16 (Cherry 6), SPU 17 (Stone, Cato 6). Total fouls--SMC 21, SPU 14.