Finishing strong. A strong finish is essential as the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team plays five more games before the regional tournament field is announced. The 11th-ranked Falcons (9-4, 17-5) have forces swinging in their favor, however, with three of those games at home where they have won 17 straight. SPU returns to Brougham Pavilion for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games this week. It hosts Alaska Fairbanks (6-7, 12-10) Thursday (Feb. 14) and Alaska Anchorage (1-12, 5-17) Saturday (Feb. 16). Next week features the final regular season road games, beginning Feb. 21 at Humboldt State.

Thin ice. With the NCAA Division II regional committee beginning to formulate their postseason field, the Falcons have their backs to the wall. Last week's rankings placed Seattle Pacific at No. 5, followed by Central Washington. But that poll was taken prior to an SPU loss at Western Washington and the Wildcats' upset of the Vikings two days later. Likely to be No. 6 in the West this week, Seattle Pacific must win at least four of its last five games to protect the sixth and final playoff spot in the region. A year ago it went 12-1 down the stretch and in 2000 it won the last eight regular season games. The Falcons are seeking their sixth consecutive NCAA playoff berth.

Home cooking. Maybe it's the new lockerroom or maybe its their faithful Maroon Ladies cheering section. It could even be the home-cooked pregame meals it Gwinn Commons. No one knows the reason for sure, but the results are clear: SPU has been unbeatable at Brougham over the last year. Since Jan. 18, 2001, the Falcons have won 17 straight at home, including 10 in a row this season, when they have crushed visitors to the tune of 26.7-point average margin of victory. Only three teams have come within 10 points during the 17-game streak and they have won 22 of the last 23 home league games over two years.

Kelley's a key figure. Making herself right at home in the pavilion this season has been Kelley Berglund (Jr., 6-3, Port Angeles, Wa./Pt. Angeles-Washington State). The team's new starting center has averaged 17.8 points in the 10 home games, an increase of nearly two points over her season average of 15.9. The key to Berglund's success­home or on the road­has been avoiding early foul trouble. In games which she has picked-up four or five fouls, Seattle Pacific's record is just 2-5. That includes the 102-87 loss at Western Washington last week. Despite foul trouble she scored 21 points, and in the 69-60 win at Seattle University she posted her fifth double-double of the season (13 points, 11 rebounds). In the first meeting with Alaska Anchorage Jan. 10, Berglund scored a career-high 33 points and established a single-game record by converting all 14 of her field goals.

Back in the saddle. After struggling offensively through a good part of the conference schedule this season, Stephanie Urrutia (Jr., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa./Sunnyside) bounced back in a big way last week, totaling 40 points. At Bellingham, Urrutia had 18 points yet it was her performance at Seattle U. which proved invaluable. She poured in 17 of her season-high 22 points in the second half as the Falcons came back from a halftime deficit for the second time in six tries this season. Urrutia hit all six of her second-half field goals, including three treys, vs. the Redhawks. In her last three games she has shot 62 percent (21-34), connected on 7-12 3-pointers and averaged 17.7 points.

Poe-go schtick. She came back from a torn ACL to reclaim her starting forward position in November but Kristin Poe (So., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa./Enumclaw) seems to be truly "back" in the New Year, averaging nearly a double-double since Jan. 1. Poe posted her fifth double-double (16 points, 11 boards) of the season at Seattle U. In February she has accelerated her game, averaging 13.0 rebounds, 14.0 points and 2.8 steals. She's taken over as the team's season rebounding leader (7.6) and also leads in steals (2.54).

Put-backs. With Central's upset of Western, the GNAC title could come down to the final game of the regular season, when the Wildcats visit Seattle Pacific. The Falcons trail the co-leaders by two games in the loss column...Western's 6-foot-6 freshman center Susan Rodgers took advantage of Berglund's absence to score 26 points in 22 minutes. The Vikings became the first foe in 34 games to shoot 50 percent from the field and the first opponent in 149 games to score 100 or more points. The 87 points by the Falcons was the highest losing score since a 93-91 setback at Seattle U. in 1993-94...SPU did convert a season-high 28 free throws at Western (35 attempts)...Berglund has made 16-17 foul shots in the last three games...Poe is 22-45 from the field and 11-13 at the line in the four outings... As a team, the Falcons rank first in the GNAC in scoring (80.3), free-throw percentage (.736) and rebounding margin (+9.0). The Falcons are sixth at the Div. II level in scoring, second in scoring margin, and ninth in field-goal percentage and rebounding margin...Individually, Berglund is first in GNAC field-goal accuracy (.590), third in scoring (15.9) and ninth in rebounding (7.1). Kerie Hughes (Jr., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa./Mt. Vernon) is first in free-throw shooting (.881), second in assists (5.2), third in 3-point percentage (.450, 18-40) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45). Urrutia is seventh in assists (3.4), third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50) and sixth in blocked shots (0.86). Poe is fourth in steals and seventh in rebounds.

Opponents & series notes. SPU has won 28 of 40 meetings against Alaska Fairbanks, but the Nanooks prevailed 75-71 in overtime Jan. 12. The Falcons struggled offensively, shooting just 39 percent, and were uncharacteristically out-dueled on the glass, 43-35. In the series, SPU is 18-2 at home, with both losses coming in the 1980-81 season. The Nanooks have lost five of their last six...SPU is 21-11 all-time against Alaska Anchorage, including a 87-55 blowout in Anchorage a month ago. The Seawolves are one of two teams (the other being Central) to win at Brougham in the last 24 conference games. UAA features GNAC scoring leader Bell Jordan (18.4) but it still has lost three in a row and 14 of the last 16.

SPU Coaches. Coach Gordy Presnell began the 2001-02 campaign needing just 15 wins to reach the 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.

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.