Box Score      • Final Stats

MONMOUTH, Ore. –- Seattle Pacific has thrived at opposing arenas this season. Coach Ryan Looney claims that what happens off the court makes those on-court accomplishments possible.
 
Sophomore center Cory Hutsen came off the bench to score 13 points, including a three-point play that halted a late Western Oregon rally in fifth-ranked SPU's 82-76 Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball victory on Saturday.
 
The game at WOU's New PE Building marked the final regular-season game away from home for the Falcons, who boast a 10-1 road record.
 
Contrary to the famous expression, Looney believes that the Falcons' familiarity bred success.
 
“They are committed to each other. They enjoy being around each other every single day and that is really important when we're on the road,” he said.

“We feel good about it. We didn't play our best game, especially defensively. But when you look back at the season as a whole now, to go 10-1 on the road is pretty special.”
 
SPU's lone loss at an enemy gym was an 83-76 overtime setback against No. 2 Western Washington on Feb. 2 in Bellingham.
 
The Falcons (21-3) improved to 14-2 in league play and guaranteed no worse than a second-place finish in the standings. The top-two teams, WWU and SPU, earned first-round byes for the GNAC Tournament that will be conducted Mar. 7-9 at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.
 
“I've always been a big believer that rest late in the season is huge,” Looney said. “So to have an opportunity to get one more rest day in there when other teams are playing is great.”
 
Western Oregon (10-14) fell to 5-11 in conference action.
 
SPU led by as many as 13 points midway through the second half before the Wolves went on a 15-6 run, capped by three straight 3-pointers. When Kolton Nelson nailed the third trey with 5:31 left to play, the Wolves deficit was only 72-68.
 
Jobi Wall slowed the surge with two free throws for the Falcons with 4:57 remaining. But WOU scored the next four points, drawing within 74-72 on a free throw from Nelson at 3:52.
 
Hutsen (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline HS) answered, making a layup despite getting fouled. His subsequent free throw pushed the SPU lead to 77-72 with 1:58 to play.
 
“That was huge. He converted a tough basket, but probably more impressive for him made the free throw too,” Looney said of Hutsen, who is a 54-percent shooter from the charity stripe.
 
The Falcons converted five of six free throws during the final 1:26 to seal the win.
 
Wall finished with 17 points to lead four SPU double-figure scorers. Patrick Simon added 16 points and David Downs 15.
 
Riley Stockton (Spokane, Wash./Ferris HS) registered his second straight double-figure rebounding game, grabbing 11 to lead SPU's 34-27 edge on the boards. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds in Thursday's 60-46 win at Saint Martin's that clinched the Falcons fourth consecutive 20-win campaign.
 
Stockton also contributed a game-high five assists, nine points, two steals and two blocked shots on Saturday.
 
Devon Alexander and Andy Avgi tied for team-high honors with 17 points apiece for the Wolves, who also got 15 from Nelson.
 
WOU shot 57 percent in the second half (12 of 21), including 5-for-8 accuracy on 3-pointers.
 
In the first half, the Falcons made 5 of their first 7 shots from the field to open a 16-10 lead. They never trailed and built that margin to 37-24 by scoring eight unanswered points while the Wolves missed five straight shots.
 
SPU led 44-34 at halftime, shooting 55 percent (16 of 29) from the field and 6 of 12 from 3-point range in the first period.
 
“We feel good getting out of there with a win. Every time we play Western Oregon, especially on the road, they make it tough on us and today was no different,” said Looney.
 
The Falcons swept the season series, but it wasn't easy. The Wolves took SPU to overtime on Jan. 24 in Seattle before succumbing 78-72.
 
The SPU men return home to close out their regular-season schedule with a pair of 7 p.m. games at Brougham Pavilion. They host Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska Fairbanks next Saturday.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013
New P.E. Building/Monmouth, Ore.
 
(#5) Seattle Pacific 82, at Western Oregon 76
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (21-3, 14-2 GNAC)
Wall 5-10 4-4 17, Simon 5-13 2-4 16, Poling 3-9 0-1 6, Downs 4-10 4-4 15, Stockton 3-5 2-2 9, Hutsen 4-6 5-5 13, Morse 2-3 0-0 4, Todd,Ryan 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 27-58 17-20 82.
 
WESTERN OREGON (10-14, 5-11 GNAC)
Wiley 3-6 0-0 8, Avgi 4-5 8-9 17, Nelson 5-10 4-6 15, Alexander 6-9 3-4 17, Webster 1-4 2-2 4, Schriber 1-5 2-2 5, Troxel 1-2 2-2 5, Gehring 1-3 0-0 2, Funk 1-3 0-0 2, Carter 0-0 1-2 1, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-47 22-27 76.
 
Seattle Pacific...........  44   38   -  82
Western Oregon............  34   42   -  76
 
3-point goals--SPU 11-24 (Simon 4-8, Wall 3-5, Downs 3-6, Stockton 1-3, Todd 0-1, Morse 0-1), WOU 8-15 (Alexander 2-2, Wiley 2-3, Schriber 1-1, Nelson 1-3, Troxel 1-2, Avgi 1-1, Funk 0-2, Webster 0-1). Fouled out--SPU-Hutsen, WOU-Alexander. Rebounds--SPU 34 (Stockton 11), WOU 27 (Nelson 8). Assists--SPU 17 (Stockton 5), WOU 8 (Webster, Alexander, Schriber 2). Total fouls--SPU 15, WOU 20. Technical fouls--SPU-None, WOU-None. Att.-411.
 
 
Next Men's Basketball Game
Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Feb. 28, 7:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion/Seattle, Wash.