• Final Statistics
      • VIDEO: David Downs

SEATTLE – The Falcons feature one of the nation's most stifling defenses. Saturday night their offense showed up as well.

Sophomore David Downs scored 15 of his game-high 20 points from 3-point range, leading an impressive long-distance shooting display by the Seattle Pacific men, who routed 18th-ranked Alaska Anchorage 85-51 at Brougham Pavilion.

The Falcons (12-3) won their third straight game to improve to 4-2 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference basketball action. Anchorage (10-3) had its 10-game winning streak halted and dropped to 4-1 with its first league setback.

The 34-point final margin was the second-largest in Seattle Pacific's 59 all-time meetings against the Seawolves, who still lead the series 33-26 despite losing in each of their last eight visits to Seattle. SPU's most lopsided win over UAA was a 37-point triumph (86-49) on Feb. 27, 1993 in Seattle.



On Saturday the Falcons held their 10th opponent under 60 points. Their dynamic defense is surrendering just 55.7 points per game, a figure that ranks No. 3 among NCAA Division II teams. SPU's school single-season record average of 61.8 points allowed was established in 1962-63.

"All year we've been defending well. The last three conference games we've consistently figured out what we need to do to win the rebounding war," explained Coach Ryan Looney, whose Falcons outboarded opponents 151-70 during that span.

"The thing we've been preaching all year with our guys is not to let how we are doing offensively affect the other two areas, because that part would eventually come. Tonight we made shots."

SPU got 3-pointers from six different players and shot 12 of 22 from long range. The Seawolves made half as many treys (6) in the same number of attempts.

Downs (Kirkland, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) shot 5 of 8 on 3-pointers, including a pair of long bombs from several feet beyond the arc.

Looney was more impressed with another part of his point guard's game.

"I don't want to talk a whole lot about his scoring. I think we were better on offense tonight because Dave had eight assists and one turnover. That's the first time that's happened in a while and it made a huge difference for our team."

The Falcons were credited with assists on 20 of their 28 field goals. That enabled them to shoot 54 percent (28 of 52) from the floor, while holding UAA at 31 percent (15 of 49).

Junior Jobi Wall (Arvada, Colo.) posted his first double-double as a Falcon, compiling 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Colorado Christian University transfer led SPU to a 43-24 advantage on the boards. Cory Hutsen (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline HS) added 13 points for SPU.

Taylor Rohde was the lone Anchorage double-figure scorer with 12 points.

The Falcons tallied the game's first five points en route to a 16-4 lead. The margin was 20-9 before UAA scored eight straight points to draw within 20-17 with 7:05 left to play in the half. Kyle Fossman capped the Seawolves surge with back-to-back 3-pointers.

SPU responded with a 15-2 run, fueled by three 3-pointers from Downs, to claim a decisive 35-19 advantage.

Scott Morse closed the half with a 3-pointer from the right baseline with 1.4 seconds remaining to provide the hosts with a 39-22 lead.

SPU shot 6 of 13 on 3-pointers in the first half led by the 4-of-6 effort from Downs, who got all 12 of his points during the period on treys.

The lead stretched to as many as 36 points in the second half when SPU was 6 of 9 on 3-pointers.

The Falcons open a three-game road trip on Thursday against defending GNAC champion Central Washington. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at Nicholson Pavilion in Ellensburg, Wash.

SPU then visits Northwest Nazarene (Jan. 14) and Montana State Billings (Jan. 21).

"To be good you have to be successful in those environments too," Looney said of the upcoming road trip venues. "In all reality, if you look over the course of the entire season we've been the same on the road as we have been at home. Hopefully that continues."


NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Brougham Pavilion/Seattle, Wash.

at Seattle Pacific 85, Alaska Anchorage 51

ALASKA ANCHORAGE (10-3, 4-1 GNAC)
Thompson 1-5 4-4 7, Lauwers 2-7 0-0 5, Rohde 4-9 4-5 12, White 1-7 3-5 5, Fossman 2-10 0-0 6, Jackson 2-4 3-3 7, Demissie 2-5 0-0 6, Gibcus 1-2 1-2 3, Blossom 0-0 0-0 0, Hearn 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 15-49 15-21 51.

SEATTLE PACIFIC  (12-3, 4-2 GNAC)
Wall 4-9 4-4 15, Anderson 1-3 4-4 7, Poling 2-3 3-6 7, Downs 6-10 3-3 20, Dorman 2-5 0-0 5, Hutsen 5-9 3-6 13, Morse 4-7 0-2 9, Stockton 3-5 0-0 7, Moll 1-1 0-0 2, Niang 0-0 0-0 0, Todd 0-0 0-0 0, Carel 0-0 0-0 0, Washburn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-52 17-25 85.

Alaska Anchorage.......   22   29  -  51
Seattle Pacific........   39   46  -  85

3-point goals--UAA 6-22 (Fossman 2-8, Demissie 2-4, Lauwers 1-5, Thompson 1-3, White 0-1, Jackson 0-1), SPU 12-22 (Downs 5-8, Wall 3-6, Morse 1-1, Dorman 1-4, Anderson 1-1, Stockton 1-2). Fouled out--UAA-None, SPU-None. Rebounds--UAA 24 (Rohde 7), SPU 43 (Wall 10). Assists--UAA 11 (Thompson 4), SPU 20 (Downs 8). Total fouls--UAA 22, SPU 19. Technical fouls--UAA-None, SPU-None. A-517.


Next game
Seattle Pacific at Central Washington
Thursday, Jan. 12, 7:00 p.m.
Nicholson Pavilion; Seattle, Wash.