On the verge of madness. As the Olympic flame flickers out of sight, March Madness comes to the fore this week for Seattle Pacific University's 9th-ranked men's basketball team. The Falcons (14-2, 22-3), winners in seven of the last eight outings and 12 straight at home, host the final two regular season games with a chance to claim the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship and one of the top seeds in the West. They begin with Western Oregon (6-10, 9-16) Thursday night (Feb. 28) and then, in the game of the week in NCAA Division II, face 5th-ranked Humboldt State (15-1, 24-1) Saturday night (Mar. 2.). Playoff berths and pairings will be announced Sunday (Mar. 3) at 6 p.m. with the regional tourney Mar. 7-9.

It could be huge. If SPU can defeat Western Oregon, Saturday's game will essentially serve as the GNAC title game. Humboldt State currently owns a one-game lead and enters the week with a 10-game win streak. Not only is it the nation's only game featuring two top 10 teams, but it's a great statistical matchup. The Falcons are the top defensive club in the conference and one the premier shooting teams in Div. II while the Lumberjacks rank No. 3 nationally in offense and feature the GNAC's top scorer and rebounder. More important than the conference crown, the game will also affect the West seeding. The No. 1 seed­now Cal State San Bernardino­earns homecourt advantage and, along with the No. 2 seed, a first-round bye. Humboldt State was No. 2 last week, followed by Cal State Bakersfield and Seattle Pacific. Only the top six teams from the region will qualify for the playoffs.

Senior citizens. As if Earthquake Appreciation and Fan Appreciation nights, the GNAC title and NCAA seeding weren't enough, Saturday also marks the final home games for three very special seniors, each starters for at least two seasons. Center Eric Sandrin (Sr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest) is coming on strong, as evidenced by his 35 points and 14 rebounds during the Alaska road sweep which earned him GNAC co-player of the week. Sandrin's monstrous dunks are among the most memorable in school history. The other two seniors have become fixtures in the Falcons' success the past four years, to the tune of 93 wins­more than any other players. Nick Johnson (Sr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) has become one of the most complete guards, playing tenacious defense at one end and becoming a very productive offensive force at the other. And there's never been anyone like Brannon Stone (Sr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.), the four-year starter at forward who does it all, leading the team in blocked shots, rebounds and assists all four seasons and also ranking among the top five in career scoring.

Special nights. The Falcons intend to celebrate some history in conjuction with the games. On the first anniversary of the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually shaker it will be Earthquake Appreciation Night Thursday. Fans will receive quake preparedness brochures and contest prizes will be survival kits. Saturday's doubleheader features lots of giveaways for fans, courtesy of Coca-Cola.

A history lesson. SPU has a shot at making history of its own. With 22 wins, the team is one away from tying the best regular-season win total, set over 30 games in 1992. The Falcons are on record pace in hitting free throws, as well. They lead the GNAC and rate fifth nationally (.769) and are well ahead of the record pace as a team of .741, set in 1966-67. Johnson's hitting 90.9 percent at the foul line (12th in the nation) whereas the record is 90.2. The Falcons are also marksmen from the field (first in the GNAC, 13th in the NCAA), connecting on 49.5 percent. Seattle Pacific has finished above 50 percent from the floor in eight of the last 12 games and is coming off a season-best 62 percent shooting in a 97-62 win at Alaska Fairbanks.

It's Yuey time. Several players have stepped up in clutch situations this season but lately the key figure has been Yusef Aziz (Jr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster-Highline CC). Although he'd made big plays in the late stages of several earlier games in February, Aziz was due for something big at Alaska Anchorage, and he delivered. He scored eight of a season-high 26 points (10-17 FGs) in overtime of a 95-86 triumph. Aziz, a contender for newcomer of the year, is eighth in GNAC scoring (16.4), fifth in field-goal percentage (.562) and seventh in steals (1.76).

Put-backs. Johnson and Stone were both voted to the Academic All-District VIII second team last week. Both business administration majors, Stone has a 3.51 grade point average and Johnson a 3.42...Hawaii Pacific, Montana State Billings and Western Washington rounded out the top seven in the West last week...With seven more steals Stone becomes the all-time leader and he's 18 rebounds from No. 3. He has owned every blocked shot record since his sophomore season, leads the team in assists (4.5), rebounds (6.1), 3-pointers (49) and blocked shots (1.32) and is No. 3 in scoring (11.0)...Defensively, SPU leads the GNAC in the two major statistical categories: scoring (66.4) and field-goal percentage (.412). It is 9-0 when holding foes's shooting under 40 percent and it's 18-1 when forcing more turnovers...In the five games in which it has shot under 45 percent, the record is only 3-2...Seattle Pacific also leads the conference in scoring margin (+14.8) and is second in rebounding margin (+5.3) and steals (9.0)...Daniel Sandrin (Jr., 6-7, Bothell, Wa./Bothell-Portland) missed the UAA game and played 10 scoreless minutes at UAF due to tender ankle...Johnson, who has made 21 straight at the line, dating back to Feb. 2, is first in free throw accuracy (.909) and ninth in field goal percentage (.539). Stone is fourth in assists and sixth in blocks...The Falcons made all six field goals and 10 of 11 free throws in the 25-point overtime period at Anchorage...The margin at Fairbanks was the largest on the road since the 1995-96 season and a 40-point win at Northwest College...Stone had a season-high 22 points vs. the Nanooks on 9-11 shooting, that after going 2-11 at Anchorage. Also getting season-best totals were Jesse Keely (Jr., 6-7, Fircrest, Wa./Bellarmine) with nine, Aaron Bellessa (Jr., 6-2, Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) with eight and Joe Sundberg (Jr., 6-1, Longview, Wa./Mark Morris-Skagit Valley CC) with six...Eric Sandrin's double-double of 18 points and 12 boards vs. UAA was his second. He has averaged 15.8 points and shot 69 percent from the field in the last four games.

Opponent & series notes. The Falcons have won seven of eight meetings with Western Oregon, including five in a row. The Wolves' Robert Day is the No. 2 scorer in the GNAC, averaging 20.6 points...Seattle Pacific had won 16 in a row over Humboldt State until falling 84-78 in Arcata, Ca., Jan. 24. The ŒJacks, who average 91.6 points, feature sophomores Austin Nichols, the NCAA's No. 6 scorer (23.7), and Fred Hooks, the country's No. 3 rebounder (12.1). They have not lost since Jan. 17.

SPU Coaches. In his 11 years as coach of his alma mater, Ken Bone has directed the Falcons to seven NCAA tournament berths, five conference titles and 11 consecutive winning records. His winning percentage of .712 is the best in school history, surpassing even the legendary Les Habegger. From 1995-2000 Bone's teams advanced to the regional championship game five times, including a record 27 wins and Final Four appearance in 2000. Jeff Hironaka is in his 11th year as associate head coach. Jarrett Mentink returns to the staff after a four-year absence this season. George Parker who first served as an assistant in 1986, returns for his 13th year on the staff. Former all-conference forward Reggie Paul joins the staff after five seasons of playing professionally in Europe and Asia.