SEATTLE (Feb. 22) -- Terra firma and fans of Seattle Pacific University basketball will get proper attention from the Falcons during the final week of the regular season. Thursday's (Feb. 28) men's game has been dubbed Earthquake Appreciation Night and Saturday's (Mar. 2) doubleheader is Fan Appreciation Night at Brougham Pavilion.

Thursday will mark the 1-year anniversary of the Nisqually Earthquake, a 6.8-magnitude temblor which rattled buildings, roadways and nerves up and down the Puget Sound region. The objective of Earthquake Appreciation (defined as "to be fully aware of" in this instance) Night is to both mark the anniversary and to remind people to prepare for such future disasters.

A limited number of water bottles will be distributed free prior to the 7 p.m. men's game between Seattle Pacific and Western Oregon and the free game program will feature Red Cross earthquake preparedness pamphlets. At halftime, top prizes for the best 2001 quake stories will be Red Cross disaster kits. There will also be other trivia contests for other disaster-related prizes.

Saturday's Fan Appreciation doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. when the SPU women face Central Washington with an NCAA tournament berth possibly at stake. The men's 7 p.m. matchup with Humboldt State will likely decide the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship and features two nationally-ranked and playoff-bound teams.

There will be plenty of giveaways courtesy of Coca-Cola. The Panther Pride Unicycle Drill Team will perform at halftime of the women's game and the Falcon Dance Team during the men's game intermission.

Tickets are priced $7 and $6 for reserved, $5 for general admission with students and youth $3 for G.A. seating.