Note: This release updated with confirmed game times (below text.)

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SEATTLE (Mar. 5) -- For the just the third time in 41 years, Seattle Pacific University is bringing the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament to its home court.

The Falcons (22-5) were awarded the No. 1 seed and will host the West Regional beginning Friday (Mar. 10) in Brougham Pavilion. They will face Central Washington (15-12) in the first-round nightcap, tentatively set for 7:30 p.m.

West Regional tickets will go on sale beginning Monday at 9 a.m. at the SPU Athletics Office (206/281-2085) in the pavilion. Prices are $12 for reserved seating and $8 for general admission ($5 for students and youth). Ticket office hours are 9-4:30 through Thursday, 9-11 a.m. Friday and 9-4:30 Mar. 13. Box office windows open at 11:30 a.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Mar. 13.

This marks the 16th time that Seattle Pacific has made the playoffs. Jeff Hironaka guided the team to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship in his fourth season. After being ranked as high as No. 3 earlier, SPU was 17th in the latest national coaches poll.

The Falcons faced Central Washington in the Œ00 regional championship game in Brougham Pavilion, and also a first-round game in Œ01. This season SPU split with the Wildcats, with each team winning on the road.

"Central's late-season push put them into the tournament," said Hironaka. "We've got them on our home court and this time hopefully we'll take care of business."

Seattle Pacific is hosting a men's regional for the third time, having parlayed the home-court advantage to its only Elite Eight advancements in 1965 and again 2000. The women's regional tournament has been hosted by SPU the past three years.

"You have the best chance of advancing by playing at home, " said Hironaka, "but you've got to play well because the region is so balanced."

The men's host team has been eliminated prior to the West championship game each of the last three years. Cal Poly Pomona beat SPU in the first round a year ago en route to winning the regional crown in Bellingham.

"As opposed to last year, this time we've got a little momentum going into the tournament" Hironaka said of his squad, which scored 213 points to win its final two regular season outings. "Now we want to extend that momentum for a few more games."

Games begin at 12:30 Friday. Action starts with No. 3 Chaminade (18-8) vs. Alaska Anchorage (19-11), followed by No. 2 seed Western Washington (21-6) and Humboldt State (17-9) at 2:30. The evening session begins with No. 4 seed Sonoma State (18-8) against Cal State Bakersfield (20-7) at 5:30 p.m.

Semifinals will be played at 5 and 7 Saturday (Mar. 11). The championship contest is Monday (Mar. 13) at 7.

Five of the eight West competitors are from the GNAC. Seattle Pacific swept Humboldt State and went 1-1 with Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage.

In all, 64 teams received Div. II berths nationwide. Winners of the eight regional tournaments will advance to the Elite Eight, Mar. 22, 23 and 25 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The West representative will face the South winner Mar. 22. The NCAA title game will be televised live on CBS Mar. 25.

Ninety miles north of the men's regional, Western Washington will host the women's tournament. SPU (22-5) will meet UC San Diego (23-4) in a first-round game Friday at 5:30.

Friday, March 10
12:30--Chaminade v Alaska Anchorage
2:30--Western Washington v Humboldt State
5:30--Sonoma State v Cal State Bakersfield
7:30--Seattle Pacific v Central Washington
Saturday, March 11
5:00--Semifinal
7:00--Semifinal
Monday, March 13
7:00--Regional Championship (winner to Elite 8, Mar. 22-25, Springfield, Ma.)

TICKETS:
Tickets (per day): Reserved $12; General Admission $8; Youth/Student G.A. $5