Box Score             • Final Stats     |     • VIDEO: Matt Borton

SEATTLE – David Downs put up a holiday display Saturday that rivals anything Falcons fans will see in a storefront window this season.
 
Downs lit up visiting Walla Walla University, amassing 20 of his 27 points during the first half for 14th-ranked Seattle Pacific, which surged ahead early en route to a 70-53 non-conference men's basketball victory at Brougham Pavilion.
 
The senior point guard also contributed seven assists and six rebounds for the Falcons (11-2), who finished the non-league portion of their schedule with a 9-2 record outside of Great Northwest Athletic Conference competition.
 
"He was very productive on offense in a lot of different ways," exclaimed SPU coach Ryan Looney. "He made shots, but he also led us in assists and had six rebounds.
 
"And we needed it because I didn't think that our willingness to share the ball on offense was as good as it needed to be and we let that affect our defensive effort too."
 
Downs (Kirkland, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) was extremely efficient, making 6 of 9 shots from the field and converting 10 of 12 free throws.
 
He improved an already stellar season 3-point shooting mark to 57 percent (40 of 70) with a 5-for-7 effort beyond the arc on Saturday.
 


Junior Matt Borton (Yakima, Wash./West Valley HS) posted the first double-double of the season by a Falcon with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Idaho transfer led a 37-29 SPU advantage on the boards.
 
"On a night where collectively as a group we didn't play all that well, Matt Borton and Mitch Penner did a great job playing with energy and a high-level of effort in the second half," Looney said.
 
A sophomore forward, Penner (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy HS) produced 11 points and five rebounds.
 
Junior center Cory Hutsen (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline HS) chipped in 10 points for the Falcons. They won despite being narrowly outshot 42 percent (19 of 45) to 41 percent (22 of 54).
 
The Wolves (0-14) were led by the 18 points of 7-foot center Dusan Sparavalo.
 
Downs compiled 20 of his team's 34 first-half points. He tallied nine of SPU's opening 12 points on two treys and a three-point play to spark a 12-4 lead five minutes into the game.
 
The Wolves trimmed the margin to six points on a 3-pointer by Sparavalo with 56 seconds left in the first half. But Downs answered with a trey of his own at 0:36 to forge a 34-25 halftime margin.
 
WWU scored the first two baskets of the second half to draw within 34-29. Hutsen responded with back-to-back baskets from inside the key to turn back the rally.
 
The hosts put the game out of reach with a 12-1 run, including five points from Downs. That surge provided a 55-35 cushion with 9:38 remaining.
 
The SPU men take a break for Christmas before returning to action on Jan.2 with a GNAC contest at Western Oregon. They currently have a 2-0 league ledger and are tied atop the standings with nationally fifth-ranked Western Washington.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
at (#14) Seattle Pacific 70, Walla Walla University 53
 
WALLA WALLA (0-14)
Sparavalo 7-12 3-5 18, Marshall 0-2 0-0 0, Luckett 1-8 1-2 4, Greenidge 2-3 2-2 7, L. Spady 4-9 0-1 9, Osias 1-1 1-2 4, Nye 1-2 2-2 4, Hofmann 1-1 0-0 3, J. Spady 1-1 0-0 2, Torkelson 1-2 0-0 2, Woodworth 0-2 0-0 0, Burke 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 9-14 53.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (11-2)
Ehlers 1-4 0-0 2, Hutsen 4-10 2-2 10, Downs 6-9 10-12 27, Stockton 1-4 0-0 2, Borton 4-9 2-2 12, Penner 4-6 2-5 11, Rasmussen 1-4 1-2 3, Jordan 1-1 0-0 2, Hamlin 0-1 1-2 1, Todd 0-1 0-0 0, Carroll 0-4 0-0 0, Parker 0-1 0-0 0, Morse 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-54 18-25 70.
 
Walla Walla University........   25   28  -   53
Seattle Pacific...............   34   36  -   70

3-point goals--WWU 6-13 (Hofmann 1-1, Spady 1-2, Sparavalo 1-2, Luckett 1-2, Osias 1-1, Greenidge 1-1, Marshall 0-2, Burke 0-1, Torkelson 0-1), SPU 8-26 (Downs 5-7, Borton 2-4, Penner 1-3, Stockton 0-2, Ehlers 0-1, Hamlin 0-1, Todd 0-1, Carroll 0-3, Parker 0-1, Rasmussen 0-3). Fouled out--WWU-Greenidge, SPU-None. Rebounds--WWU 29 (Sparavalo 7), SPU 37 (Borton 10). Assists--WWU 10 (Woodworth 2; Burke 2), SPU 16 (Downs 7). Total fouls--WWU 21, SPU 14. Technical fouls--WWU-None, SPU-None. Att.-361.

 
Next SPU Men's Basketball Game
Seattle Pacific at Western Oregon
Thursday, Jan. 2, 7:00 p.m.
New PE Building / Monmouth, Ore.