• Final Stats
      • VIDEO: Cory Hutsen

SEATTLE – A terrific trio may be transforming into a quality quartet.

Cory Hutsen tied his collegiate high with 14 points and collected a career-best six rebounds on Tuesday as Seattle Pacific concluded its non-conference men's basketball schedule by rolling past Dominican in Brougham Pavilion, 68-43.

SPU (9-2 overall) went 8-1 in non-conference games. Dominican of San Rafael, Calif. dropped to 1-9, including an 86-63 loss at Central Washington on Monday.

Through the first third of the season, the Falcons have featured three stellar scorers in Andy Poling (16.4 ppg), David Downs (15.8) and Jobi Wall (12.6). They account for 66 percent of the team's offensive output.

Prior to the last two games, just one double-digit scoring game came from a player outside that trio. On Saturday, Hutsen (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline HS) made all five of his shots from the field en route to a 14-point performance that helped SPU win 89-76 at BYU-Hawaii.

A 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman post player, Hutsen matched that point total Tuesday. He shot 6-of-10 from the floor and converted 2 of 3 free throws.



Coach Ryan Looney recognized the boost Hutsen has provided to the offense and increased his minutes accordingly.

"I've been starting to get a little more time and I've started to get a little more confidence going," Husten explained. "I know I can go out there and score, it's just proving that I can do the other things like defend and rebound as well."

Hutsen's six-rebound total was two better than his previous best of four, set on Dec. 1 at home against Simon Fraser. He helped SPU out-board the Penquins 38-25.

Hutsen was one of four Falcons double-figure scorers. Wall (Arvada, Colo.) and Downs (Kirkland, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) added 13 points apiece, and Poling (Portland, Ore.) chipped in 12.

Wall also handed out five assists, a season-best mark he has reached five times. SPU was credited with assists on 22 of 26 baskets and shot 53 percent (26 of 49).

Jacob Noisat scored 14 points to lead the Penguins, who were limited to 35-percent shooting (19 of 54).

The 43 points by Dominican was the third-lowest total allowed by SPU this season. The only teams to score fewer were Academy Art, which lost 63-33 on Nov. 26, and Dixie State, which fell 58-42 on Nov. 11.

Seattle Pacific led for all but the opening moments Tuesday when Jammall Clark scored the first basket of the game. The Falcons then ran off the next nine points. The Penguins got as close as four at 18-14 before SPU gradually enlarged the margin to double-digits, taking a 34-23 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

The lead never dipped below 11 during the second half and grew to as many as 32 points at 67-35 with 3:16 to play.

The Falcons take a break from games until after Christmas, returning to action on Dec. 29 at Western Oregon. They are 1-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference after splitting two games earlier this month.

Hutsen believes the break will be beneficial for the SPU men.

"It can be good for us. We'll get back in and get a couple more practices, then we'll take a good break, about a week, and get some people's bodies back in shape. And then we'll come back ready to go in league."


NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.

DOMINICAN, Calif. (1-9)
Noisat 6-9 2-3 14; Haysbert 3-9 0-0 6; Clark 3-11 0-0 6; Meggs 2-7 0-2 5; McNally 2-7 1-1 5; Cheledinas 1-3 0-0 3; Carrillo 1-2 0-0 2; Lewis 1-6 0-0 2; Wofford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-54 3-6 43.

SEATTLE PACIFIC (9-2)
Hutsen 6-10 2-3 14; Downs 4-6 2-2 13; Wall 4-7 2-2 13; Poling 5-11 2-4 12; Dorman 3-6 0-0 7; Washburn 1-2 0-0
3; Morse 1-2 0-0 2; Niang 1-1 0-2 2; Stockton 1-2 0-0 2; Anderson 0-1 0-0 0; Moll 0-1 0-0 0; Todd 0-0 0-0 0; Carel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-49 8-13 68.

Dominican.....................   23   20  -   43
Seattle Pacific...............   34   34  -   68

3-point goals--DU 2-6 (Cheledinas 1-2, Meggs 1-1, McNally 0-2, Carrillo 0-1), SPU 8-16 (Wall 3-5, Downs 3-5, Dorman 1-2, Washburn 1-2, Stockton 0-1, Anderson 0-1). Fouled out--DU-None, SPU-None. Rebounds--DU 25 (Noisat 7), SPU 38 (Hutsen 6). Assists--DU 8 (McNally 6), SPU 22 (Wall 5). Total fouls--DU 14, SPU 12. Technical fouls--DU-None, SPU-None. A-219.

Records
Seattle Pacific 9-2, 1-1 GNAC
Dominican 1-9, 0-0 Pac West

Next game
Seattle Pacific at Western Oregon, Dec. 29, 7:00 p.m.