42 & counting. While one of Seattle Pacific University’s staggering win streaks was snapped last week, another is ready to be extended. The No. 3-ranked Falcons (3-1) open the Great Northwest Athletic Conference campaign this week at home. They take a string of 42 straight conference victories into Thursday night’s (Dec. 2) bout with Alaska Anchorage (1-2). Saturday (Dec. 4), SPU hosts Alaska Fairbanks (3-2) before going on the road for three non-conference games, beginning with Sonoma State Dec. 10 in San Francisco.

Three-peat? Seattle Pacific is the prohibitive favorite in the GNAC race, having earned all 10 first-place votes in the coaches’ preseason poll. The Falcons seek their third straight title and fourth in five seasons. The past two years they went 18-0 in league play. Western Washington got the nod over Central Washington for the second-place pick. The two Alaska teams were predicted to finish among the GNAC’s secoOne streak ends. There’s no shame in losing a game in Grand Forks, N.D., especially when you have not lost in 62 consecutive regular season outings. That was the sentiment expressed by Coach Gordy Presnell after the Falcons fell to No. 7 North Dakota, 85-73. The Fighting Sioux, playing before nearly 2,100 fans, ran off 15 straight points in the second half to break open a close ballgame. It was the first regular season setback since Feb. 7, 2002. Still intact is the GNAC win streak and a home win streak of 17 games over two seasons.nd five.

Bombs-away Beaumont. Thanks to some timely long-range shooting, the Falcons began another win string right away. Less than 24 hours after the North Dakota contest, they dispatched Minnesota’s Bemidji State, 76-56, in the second round ofthe Engelstad Thanksgiving Classic. Michelle Beaumont (Sr., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) scorched the nets from deep with her sharp shooting. Beaumont drained 4 of 8 treys en route to a game-high 19 points. She was also 5 for 5 from the free-throw line. Amy Taylor (Sr., 5-7, Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood) had connected on four threes and scored 20 points in the UND game, and she has hit 11-25 outside the arc in the first four contests. SPU leads the GNAC with 7.5 three-pointers made per game.

Block party. Brittney Kroon (Jr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) established herself as one of the most feared post presences last season after leading the nation in blocked shots. And if anybody had forgotten that fact, Kroon quickly issued a reminder against Bemidji. She blocked 11 shots–just two shy of her school and conference record of 13, set last season. Kroon now leads the GNAC with 4.75 blocks per game, and she is fast-closing on the school career record. She currently has 188 to rank No. 3. Liz Guppy swatted away 214 in four years. Against Bemidji State, Kroon finished just two rebounds shy of her first triple- double, totaling 16 points and eight boards.

Defense keys victories. Seattle Pacific’s early success has certainly stemmed from its defense. In their three victories, the Falcons have not allowed an opponent more than 56 points and are holding opponents to an average of 58 points per game on just 34-percent shooting. During the 62-game regular season win string, only 10 opponents broke the 70-point barrier vs. SPU.

At home & lovin’ it. There are no players around the GNAC who can tell stories of how they beat the Falcons in Brougham Pavilion. It’s not a memory loss. It’s simply been nearly four years since such an occurrence. SPU has won 34 home conference games in a row since Central Washington left town a winner back on Jan. 18, 2001. Since then, only seven visitors have come within 10 points.

Put-backs. Presnell hopes to have his full compliment of players available this week. Starting forward Quinn Brewe (Fr., 6-1, Lynnwood, Wa./Meadowdale) missed both game last week while recovering from a concussion suffered in the Nov. 19 season opener...Rachel Strand (So., 6-2, Shoreline, Wa./King’s) helped compensate for the absence of Brewe by scoring a career-high 13 points vs. North Dakota. In 29 minutes off the bench, Strand was 5-9 from the field...Taylor and Mandy Wood (Jr., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) had rebounding career highs vs. Bemidji, with seven and six, respectively...After scoring 30 points in the first two games, Wood totaled only 12 at Grand Forks...Carli Smith (Jr., Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian) scored 16 points vs. UND...Beaumont’s four treys tied a career-high...Offensively, SPU is averaging 75.0 points per game but does so with a selfless, balanced bunch. Taylor leads the way at 12.0 points per game, 16th in the GNAC. Wood (10.5) and Beaumont (10.3) are also averaging double figures...Wood is fourth in the league with 4.5 assists per game...Smith is second in field-goal percentage (.600)...The Falcons lead the GNAC with an 82.4 percentage from the foul line...The first regular season national rankings will be issued Dec. 7.

Coaching Staff. For the second straight year, Gordy Presnell was voted the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s NCAA Division II Coach of the Year for 2004, along with conference and regional coach of the year honors. He has never registered a losing season in 17 years at the helm of the Seattle Pacific University basketball program, including back-to-back perfect records during the regular season the past two years. 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 12 times, including Elite Eight appearances in both 1998 and 2004. Returning to Presnell’s staff for her third season is former University of Oregon player Jamie Craighead, who completed her career in 2002 as Oregon’s leader in three-pointers. During her final season, she started all 35 games, averaging 7.9 points.

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.

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.