Postseason preview. While the women’s basketball NCAA Division II West Regional will bypass Brougham Pavilion for the first time in four years, nevertheless a playoff-like atmosphere is expected in the building this week, with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and postseason seeding on the line. Riding a season-long 14-game win streak, Seattle Pacific University is closing in on its 10th straight NCAA tournament appearance with home games against the GNAC leader and another postseason contender to conclude the regular season. SPU (15-1, 21-4) faces No. 7-ranked Western Washington (16-0, 24-1) Thursday night (Mar. 2) before a Senior Night encounter with Central Washington (9-7, 15-9) Saturday evening (Mar. 4).

Playoff picture. Members of the Falcons’ past conference and regional championship teams will get a whole new take on March Madness this time around. When the NCAA announces its 64-team field Sunday night, the SPU players realize they will be packing their bags rather than staying home. Seattle Pacific has been the region’s top seed and regional host since 2003, but that honor is now out of reach. Western Washington is expected to unseat Cal State Bakersfield at No. 1 in this week’s poll. Chico State, UC San Diego and SPU round out the top five. The West Regional is tentatively set to begin Mar. 10.

Honoring the Seniors

The GNAC grab. The GNAC title will once again be awarded to one of the only two teams to have won the honor, or perhaps even both. A Seattle Pacific victory over Western could create a tie atop the GNAC final standings and result in a shared title. A Viking victory would ensure them their second GNAC crown and first since 2002. SPU has won the past three, with WWU finishing runner-up each time. The Vikings have won 18 games in a row while the Falcons have won 36 straight at home–50 in GNAC play–and 68 consecutive regular season home dates.

What a way to go. Without question, this rates as the most special of senior classes for Seattle Pacific. Carli Grant (Sr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian), Brittney Kroon (Sr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.), Jenny Poe (Sr., 5-9, Enumclaw, Wa.) and Mandy Wood (Sr., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) have played prominent roles in conference and regional championships the past two years, including a national runner-up finish in 2005. Grant, Kroon and Wood have won 110 of 120 games during their careers, including three first-place GNAC finishes. Poe is undefeated at home (36-0) during her three-year tenure. Beyond wins and losses, Grant is just the second SPU player to accumulate 1000 career points and rebounds, Kroon holds every school and conference blocked shot record and Wood is now No. 8 in career scoring.

Northern lights. Wood turned up the heat in Alaska. She was named the GNAC player of the week for the second time after lighting up the nights by draining 11 of 19 three-point attempts. Wood totaled 43 points and shot 16 of 30 overall in the two victories. Over the past three games she is averaging 23.7 points, and is shooting 61 percent overall and 65 percent from long range. In two of those contests she buried a career-high six treys. For the season, she leads the team in scoring (15.5).

True grit. The hallmark of past Seattle Pacific playoff teams has been their high-octane offense. And while the Falcons continue to rate among the national scoring leaders, the current win streak is rooted primarily on defense. They have allowed only 52.6 points per game since December, and seven of the last 10 victims have been held under 50 points. The 67-34 rout at Alaska Anchorage was the second-lowest point total by an opponent this season, and SPU followed that with an 86-56 win at Alaska Fairbanks. The Nanooks were only the second opponent to shoot better than 40 percent against the Falcons during the streak, and no team has hit better than 45 percent this season.

Put-backs. The NCAA selection show will be streamed live on the web beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday at ncaasports.com...Over the last four games Coach Julie van Beek has used both Poe and Autumn Fielding (Jr., 5-9, Kennewick, Wa.) in starting roles, and the experiment has been a success. Fielding is averaging 10.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 42 percent (8-19) from three-point range during that time. Poe is averaging 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, while shooting 67 percent (4-6) from long distance. She has scored in double figures in six of seven games since returning to the starting lineup following a knee injury...Grant and Wood are the only players to start each game...The Falcons have won nine straight regular season finales, four of those coming against Central Washington... The Falcons are outscoring opponents by nearly 23 points per game during their 14-game win streak, and 13 of those victories have been by double figures...Seattle Pacific ranks 21st in NCAA scoring (76.5), 14th in field-goal percentage (.457), 19th in scoring margin (15.4) and 22nd in field-goal percentage defense (.355)...Kroon continues to lead the nation in blocked shots (4.63). She also ranks fifth in the GNAC in field-goal percentage (.510) and 10th in rebounds (6.0)...Grant is tied for the GNAC lead in rebounding and ranks 30th nationally with a 9.5 average. She is also ninth in the league in shooting percentage (.487)...Wood is third in the conference in both assists (4.2) and three-pointers made (2.5), fifth in scoring (15.5), seventh in three-point accuracy (.405) and 10th in field-goal percentage (.484)...Point guard Beth Christensen (So., 5-5, Enumclaw, Wa.) leads the GNAC in assists (4.6) and is seventh in steals (1.9)...Poe is eighth in assists (3.2) and among the GNAC top 21 in five other categories...Wood and Christensen should get more relief now that Jackie Hollands (So., 5-9, Oregon City, Or.) has returned from an ankle injury. Hollands played a total of 26 minutes last week, totaling 10 points, five steals and three assists.

Coaching Staff. Julie van Beek is in her first year as the Falcons’ head coach after building Nashville’s Trevecca Nazarene into an NAIA national power. After starting the program from scratch, van Beek’s last six squads reached the playoffs, including a national quarterfinal appearance in 2005. In nine years at the helm her record was 162-119. She is a native of Nampa, Id., and played at Northwest Nazarene. Michelle Skyles is the top assistant, having moved from a similar position at Eastern Washington. Skyles coached Jerome to the Idaho state 4A title in 2004. Sasha Anderson joins the staff following five years as head coach at Snohomish County Christian.

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 is $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.