Going south. Packing plenty of momentum, undefeated and No. 3-ranked Seattle Pacific University women’s basketball team takes several impressive winning streaks south for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games this week. The Falcons (13-0, 22-0), who have not lost a road game in more than two years, visit Western Oregon (5-7, 7-13) Thursday night (Feb. 19), then play at Humboldt State Saturday (Feb. 21). The final two home games are next week against Saint Martin’s and Northwest Nazarene. Besides starting 22-0, SPU has won 37 straight GNAC games, 55 in a row during regular season play.

Dem high-flying birds. SPU is showing no signs of letting up as the season enters its final three weeks. With five games to play in the regular season, the Falcons are perched on top of the GNAC standings with Western Washington three games back, and it’s conceivable that Seattle Pacific could clinch at least a tie for the conference crown by Saturday. SPU is ranked among the NCAA’s top 10 in five statistical categories, including scoring offense (No. 5/82.0), scoring margin (No. 5/22.5), defensive field goal percentage (No. 6/.347), rebounding margin No. 7/10.1) and three-point shooting (No. 9/.389). More importantly, the team remains in the driver’s seat to host the NCAA West Regional. Seattle Pacific moved up a spot to No. 3 in last week’s national poll. This week’s rankings remain unchanged, with California (Pa.), the only other unbeaten team, still No. 1.

Birds flock together. It’s getting more and more difficult to predict which SPU player is going to grab a headline for a given game, such is the squad’s balance and depth. Seven different players have led the team in scoring this season and eight average between 6.0 and 15.5 points per game. In a couple home blowouts last week, Mandy Wood (So., 5-7, Port Angeles, Wa.) came off the bench to score a team-high 15 points in a 69-45 win against Alaska Anchorage, while Valerie Gustafson (Sr., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) and Brittney Kroon (So., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) had 16 points apiece in a 98-52 romp over Alaska Fairbanks. Defense rarely gets attention, but was the key as the Falcons allowed only 21 first-half points in each game and opponents shot just 30 percent.

Bench brigade. Once opponents think they’ve got a handle on Seattle Pacific’s starting five, Coach Gordy Presnell can bring in his second five of Wood, Carli Smith (So., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian), Jenny Poe (So., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa./Enumclaw-Portland State), Trisha Hermanson (Jr., 5-6, Buckley, Wa./White River) and Rachel Strand (Fr., 6-2, Shoreline, Wa./King’s). More often than not, this bunch will frustrate the opposition as much as the starters. In last week’s wins, they combined for 69 points, 44 rebounds, 18 assists and 13 steals. Smith, who pulled down a game-high 13 boards vs. Fairbanks, leads the team in rebounding (8.5 rpg). Wood is the No. 3 scorer (10.0 ppg) and Poe is third on the team in steals (1.6 spg). Hermanson and Strand each scored a season-high seven points against Fairbanks, while Strand tied her career best with three assists.

Stat queens. Even though SPU doesn’t have one dominant player, it’s easy to find this balanced bunch of Falcons on the conference’s statistical leaderboard. Kroon tops both the NCAA and GNAC in blocked shots (4.3). Amy Taylor (Jr., 5-8, Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood-Oregon) leads the league in three-point (.452) and free-throw (.891) shooting and Gustafson is the GNAC’s No. 1 shooter (.576).

Compare & contrast. It’s not every year that a team starts 22-0. It only seems that way because SPU has done it back-to-back. Much like last season, it is a true team effort, with excellent balance. If anything, this year’s squad is superior defensively, allowing 3.0 fewer points and blocking 2.17 more shots per game, thanks to Kroon. Offensively, a key stat is 1.7 fewer turnovers. A year ago, the Falcons went 29-0 before falling to Cal State Bakersfield in the regional championship game.

Put-backs. Outside of Div. II there is only one other unbeaten team: Division III’s Bowdoin (Maine) College (23-0)...The last time SPU lost a regular season road game was Feb. 7, 2002 at Western Washington...As a team, the Falcons lead the GNAC in scoring offense (82.0), scoring defense (59.5), scoring margin (+22.5), field-goal percentage (.465), field-goal percentage defense (.347), three-point field-goal percentage (.389), rebounding (44.7), rebounding margin (+10.1), defensive rebounds (29.05), offensive rebounds (15.68), assists (20.64), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.12), blocks (6.73), steals (11.86) and three-point field-goals made per game (7.09). The Falcons are No. 2 in rebounding defense (34.6) and free-throw percentage (.748). Individually, Wood is No. 3 in three-point shooting (.426) and Smith is third in offensive rebounds (3.38). Coming in at No. 4 are Smith in rebounding (8.5), Gustafson in steals (2.0) and Kroon in field-goal percentage (.545). Smith is the conference’s No. 5 free-throw shooter (.837) and No. 7 in defensive rebounds (5.10). Also in the No. 7 spot are Gustafson for scoring (15.5) and Taylor for assists (3.95) and three-point field-goals made (1.91). Taylor is the No. 8 shooter (.497) and Wood is eighth in three-point field goals made (1.82). Kristin Poe (Sr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa.) is ninth in steals (1.77) and defensive rebounds (4.77). Ranking No. 10 are Jenny Poe for steals (1.64), Wood’s field-goal percentage (.476) and Kristin Poe’s rebounding (6.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.16)...Kristin Poe moved up to No. 6 on SPU’s career rebounding list...Kroon has already broken the GNAC’s season record for blocked shots and will likely shatter the season mark for blocks average (2.93). She is also currently tied at No. 2 on SPU’s season blocks list (94) and moved into No. 5 on the career blocks list...Gustafson’s field-goal percentage is on school-record pace.

Tickets, Please. General admission tickets for all SPU home women’s basketball games are priced $5, with students, youth and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Reserved seating for doubleheaders with men’s games are $7 and $6. Teams or groups can qualify for discount rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaches. Coach Gordy Presnell was voted the 2003 Russell Athletic/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year for NCAA Division II last season after having also been named both conference and regional coach of the year. He has never registered a losing season in 16 years at the helm of the Seattle Pacific University basketball program. Presnell 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 21 wins per season and qualified for the playoffs 11 times, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1998.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.