Falcons Still Among West's Elite in Basektball
February 16, 2005

SEATTLE (Feb. 16) ­ Both of Seattle Pacific University's basketball teams remain in the running for the right to host next month's NCAA Division II West Regional tournaments, based upon this week's rankings.

Despite their first conference loss in three seasons, the Falcon women (20-2) remained No. 1. The top team in the final rankings next month has the right to host the West Regional tournament. SPU hosts Central Washington Saturday afternoon at 3. Western Washington is No. 2 and Saint Martin's­which defeated Seattle Pacific­is No. 6.

The SPU men (17-5) slipped to No. 3 in the men's rankings, behind Hawaii Hilo (22-3) and Western Washington (17-4). Hilo, which leads for the third week in a row, is idle until Feb. 22. The only other Great Northwest Athletic Conference team listed among the top eight is Alaska Fairbanks at No. 7. The Nanooks host the Falcons Thursday night.

The final poll in March will determine which six women's teams join the GNAC and CCAA regular-season champions and which five men's teams join the GNAC, PacWest and CCAA champions in the eight-team regional field. The conference champions receive automatic berths.

Men - 1. Hawaii Hilo (22-3); 2. Western Washington (17-4); 3. Seattle Pacific (17-5); 4. Cal Poly Pomona (16-5); 5. Chico State (15-6); 6. Cal State San Bernardino (16-4); 7. Alaska Fairbanks (15-7); 8. Montana State - Billings (15-6); 9. BYU-Hawaii (12-7); 10. Northwest Nazarene (13-9).

Women - 1. Seattle Pacific (20-2); 2. Western Washington (19-3); 3. Cal State Dominguez Hills (14-6); 4. Chico State (17-4); 5. Cal State Bakersfield (15-6); 6. Saint Martin's (16-5); 7. Cal Poly Pomona (16-5); 8. Montana State - Billings (15-6); 9. Cal State San Bernardino (15-6); 10. UC San Diego (13-8).