Get used to it. Will the creature comforts of home spoil their success? That’s the only riddle remaining to be answered about a 4th-ranked Seattle Pacific University men’s basketball which has matched the best start ever, and is now coming home. Winners of six in a row, the Falcons (3-0, 11-1) play only their second home game since November when Alaska Anchorage (2-2, 11-5) arrives for a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Thursday night (Jan. 12). On Saturday (Jan. 14) SPU hosts defending GNAC champion Alaska Fairbanks (2-2, 9-4), then goes on the road next week to Central Washington and 2nd-ranked Western Washington.

Ever rising. With their two-step climb in the national poll, the Falcons have also equaled their best-ever ranking. They were No. 4 in the NCAA Division II coaches poll exactly 12 years ago, when they won their first 11 games. Despite playing only four home games, the sole blemish is a loss to then-nationally ranked Div. I Nevada. This is the fourth time SPU has gone 11-1 to start a season; the last time was in 2001-02. More importantly, Coach Jeff Hironaka’s squad is 8-0 versus West Region teams (including five on foreign or neutral courts), which is a key factor in determining postseason seeding.

Heat wave. Before Christmas, Seattle Pacific won with a Scrooge-like defense. Since then, it’s been a veritable offensive heat wave. In the last three games the shooters have sizzled, hitting 62 percent from the floor, and averaged 103.3 points, including 124 in their last home appearance. They shot 59 percent in an 89-74 win at Western Oregon last week and 62 percent (76 percent in the second half) in a big victory at Humboldt State, to earn a share of first place in the GNAC.

5th-year phenom. He’s paid his dues and then some. He’s the only player to have been with the team for five years, and although he’s been a member of the regular rotation for three seasons, only now is everything coming together for Mike Bushmaker (Sr., 6-7, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower). The sixth man, Bushmaker is The Man at the moment. Over the last seven games he has scored in double figures six times, and he’s only getting stronger. Last week Bushmaker erupted for a career-high 27 points at Humboldt State and for the week he totaled 41 points, eight rebounds, three blocked shots and hit a blistering 83 percent (15-18) from the field to earn GNAC co-player of the week. He is No. 2 in conference field-goal percentage (.685) and is averaging 10.4 points overall.

Right at home. If anyone is accustomed to the baskets at Brougham Pavilion, it’s Dustin Bremerman (Sr., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower). In the four home games this season, Bremerman has scored 30 or more points three times and averaged 28.8, including a career-best 38 during his last appearance. In the past four games overall, it made no difference where Bremerman was, his shots were falling. He has found the mark on 37 of 52 field goals, including 8-12 three-pointers last week when he totaled 40 points. Bremerman, with 98 points over the last four games, leads the Falcons in season scoring at 18.5 points.

Got their groove back. What was lost has now been found. Those chilly shooting displays of December are fading from memory as the Falcons’ long-range artillery finds its range. Over the last half-dozen games they are shooting 43 percent on three-pointers. Beyond Bremerman, it’s been nearly everyone rediscovering their stroke. Tony Binetti (Sr., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.) has connected on 17 of 25 beyond the arc during the same stretch. Jeff Knudson (Sr., 6-7, Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak), one of the school’s top career three-point marksmen, canned 3-4 treys at Humboldt and finished with a season-high 12 points. Prior to the surge, SPU had endured a four-game stretch in which they hit 21 percent on threes.

All hail Ballard. Later this month, a hero from the Seventies will be inducted into the Falcon Legends Hall of Fame. Jim Ballard, the big man on two of Les Habegger’s NCAA tournament teams, is one of four individuals to be honored Jan. 27. The third basketball player to be inducted, Ballard still holds the season rebounding record (11.9), ranks No. 2 for his career and is No. 3 in career scoring. During his final two seasons he averaged a double-double. He was a two-time all-district selection, as well as MVP of the 1972 West Regional. Ballard now resides in Littleton, Co.

Put-backs. Seattle Pacific’s sweep on the southern swing last week was the first since ‘99-00...After being out-rebounded by 7.8 boards in the previous six games, SPU is a plus-16 in the last three...Both Bremerman (915) and Binetti (911) are closing on 1,000 career points. Binetti will need 100 more assists to reach the SPU all-time top five...Reserve guard Brian Lynch (Jr., 6-1, Missoula, Mt./Great Falls) missed the trip last week due to an ankle sprain...Seattle Pacific is No. 2 in conference field goal shooting (.511), field-goal accuracy (.494), and field-goal percentage defense (.432), No. 3 in blocked shots (4.17) and No. 4 in scoring offense (83.7) and free throw accuracy (.742). Rebounding moved up from ninth to seventh in the GNAC (-0.8) and last week SPU battled league rebounding leader HSU even on the boards. Individually, Robbie Will (So., 6-10, Seattle, Wa./O’Dea-Bellevue CC) leads in blocked shots (2.25). Binetti is No. 3 in three-point percentage (.521) and No. 7 in assists (4.8) and field-goal accuracy (.590). Bremerman is No. 4 in free throw accuracy (.878) and seventh in scoring...Nationally, SPU is No. 14 in field-goal percentage and 25th in free throw accuracy. Will is No. 17 in blocks and Bremerman was No. 21 in NCAA foul shooting...Montevallo (Al.) is ranked No. 1 in the nation this week, followed by Western Washington, Southern Indiana and SPU. The only other West Region team in the top 25 is Grand Canyon at 19th.

Coaching Staff. In his first season Jeff Hironaka won more games (16) than all but one other first-year SPU coach, and he took a team to the NCAA tournament in only his third year–faster than any predecessor. His record entering this season is 50-33. A former aide at Idaho State and The Master’s, Hironaka became Ken Bone’s top assistant in 1991 and from there the Falcons won 236 of 253 games, claimed five conference championships and qualified for eight NCAA tournaments, including a Final Four in 2000. Hironaka is the second Japanese-American head coach of a four-year collegiate program. Brock Veltri is in his second season as the chief assistant.

Tickets, please. Reserved tickets for all SPU home games are priced $7 and $6. General admission is $5 with youth, students and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Groups can qualify for discounts 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.