THE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, January 30       Seattle Pacific at Simon Fraser, 7:30 p.m.
                                                West Gym / Burnaby, B.C.
                                                Live Webcast and live stats
 
Saturday, February 1         Seattle Pacific at Western Washington, 5:15 p.m.
                                                Carver Gymnasium / Bellingham, Wash.
                                                Live Webcast and live stats
 
 
        Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF)
 
SEATTLE – Even the best schedule planner couldn't have foreseen a week like this. But here it is – and the Seattle Pacific Falcons are part of it.
 
The top four Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball teams square off against each other in a set of games that could go a long way toward determining the inside track for the regular-season championship.
 
For SPU, the week starts on Thursday with a visit to Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C., at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are 6-3 in GNAC play and tied for third place. On that same night, Western Washington and Montana State Billings – tied for first place at 6-2 – square off in Bellingham.
 
Venues and opponents are reversed on Saturday. Seattle Pacific takes on the Vikings in Carver Gymnasium at 5:15 p.m., and Billings travels to Simon Fraser.
 
The Falcons will be looking to turn the tables against both opponents. Western pulled out an 84-77 victory on Jan. 2 in Brougham Pavilion, and two nights later, the Clan rallied from 12 points down in the second half to win, 63-60.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Live stats and free live Webcasts will be available from both of this week's games, and for all GNAC contests through the rest of the regular season. The Webcasts are through Stretch Internet, the conference's official video streaming provider. Appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.
 
A RARE OPPORTUNITY AWAITS IN BELLINGHAM
A victory on Saturday night at Western Washington would give SPU a highly unusual three-sport sweep in Carver Gymnasium this school year.
 
On Oct. 24, the Falcon volleyball team scored a 3-1 win against nationally ranked Western. It was the 500^th victory in program history.
 
On Jan. 15, the men's basketball team put a 76-60 victory into the books, thus snapping the Vikings' 36-game homecourt winning streak.
 
Only one other time – 1997-98 – did all three SPU teams win in Carver during the same school year: 3-1 in volleyball, 64-50 in men's basketball, and 91-72 in women's basketball.
 




SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- The Falcons start the second half of GNAC play at 6-3, tied for third place, one game out of the lead. Last year, they were 4-5, tied for fifth, and five games behind front-running Western Washington.
-- As was the case on Jan. 4, the SPU-Simon Fraser game will match the top two scorers in the GNAC. Erin Chambers of the Clan is averaging 22.8, and Katie Benson of the Falcons is at 20.6. Both have been hovering around those numbers all season. Chambers was at 22.0 last time, and Benson was at 21.4.
-- Benson scored 25 in the first game; Chambers finished with 15.
-- Benson's career high of 32 points was scored against the Clan last Valentine's Day in Brougham Pavilion.
-- Senior center Riley Butler also has logged two of her career highs against Simon Fraser: 12 points on Jan. 19, 2013 in Burnaby, an six rebounds on Feb. 25, 2012 in Seattle.
-- Some of the GNAC's best 3-point shooters also will share the court. Western's Katie Colard averages 2.7 makes per game, SPU's Betsy Kingma is at 2.3, and Simon's Erin Chambers is at 2.2. Colard buried five treys against the Falcons on Jan. 2, Chambers had one on Jan. 4, and Kingma had two in each game.
-- Seattle Pacific and Western Washington combined for 161 points in their previous game – the highest total of any Falcons contest this season.
-- This week's two opponents are the only GNAC teams against which SPU does not have a winning record. Simon Fraser has a 16-7 series lead, and Western Washington's advantage is 53-26.
--Head coach Julie Heisey is 7-10 against the Vikings and their coach, Carmen Dolfo. Two of those seven victories have come in Bellingham, most recently 82-66 in 2011.
--Heisey's record against Simon Fraser and coach Bruce Langford is 4-5.
 
SCOUTING THE SIMON FRASER CLAN: 12-5, 6-3 GNAC (tie 3^rd)
All-time series: SF leads, 16-7. Current series streak: SF won 1. Last time: SF 63, SPU 60 (Jan. 4, 2014 at Seattle). Clan on the Web.
Clan in a nutshell: Simon Fraser starts this week on a three-game winning streak, and Erin Chambers is a big reason why. She had 30 points in last Thursday's 75-73 win against Alaska Fairbanks, then poured in 34 on Saturday as the Clan edged Alaska Anchorage, 78-74. Chambers has tallied 20 points or more in 13 of the 17 games so far. One of the sub-20 nights for the junior guard / forward was 15 at SPU on Jan. 2 when the Falcons limited her to 4-of-11 shooting from the field. Junior guard Katie Lowen also can fill it up. In fact, on the three nights that Chambers hasn't led Simon Fraser's scoring, Lowen has, including a pair of games in the 20s. Sophomore forward Meg Wilson, at 6-1, had a huge double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds against Fairbanks last Thursday. Her last two points came at the foul line with two seconds left to provide the winning margin. Both Wilson and teammate Rebecca Langmead average 6.9 boards per game.
 
SCOUTING THE WESTERN WASHINGTON VIKINGS: 11-6, 6-2 GNAC)
All-time series: WWU leads, 53-26. Current series streak: WWU won 4. Last time: WWU 84, SPU 77 (Jan. 2, 2014 at Seattle). Vikings on the Web
Vikings in a nutshell: Western Washington is the hottest team in the GNAC, starting the week on a six-game winning streak. Some of those have been close calls – seven points against Central Washington, six against Saint Martin's, and six against Alaska Anchorage last Thursday night when Western came from eight points down in the second half to win. The Vikings are a clear example of team basketball: Nobody is among the GNAC top 10 in scoring (guard Katie Colard is 11th at 13.2 points per game), and seven different players having been the team scoring leader in various games. Colard has done that five times, including a 25-point outburst against SPU on Jan. 2. Western also two solid rebounders, most notably 6-3 senior forward Sarah Hill. She averages 7.8 per game, No. 8 in the GNAC, and has gone for double-digit boards in three of the past four games. Sydney Donaldson, a 6-0 junior forward, also gets it done, averaging 5.9 per game. Through WWU's six straight wins, she is averaging 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds. 
 
COACH JULIE HEISEY SAYS …
(On Simon Fraser)
"A lot of different people can score. Erin Chambers is averaging 22 points, but Katie Lowen hit two 3's on us in the first half of our game here. We have to make sure we guard well. Rebounding at this time of the year is a huge deal, and again, getting to the free throw line. We didn't attack the basket in the second half (last time) and didn't get to the free throw line."
 
(On Western Washington)
"Western is playing really well, and they're improving. They shot 60 percent from the field against us here in the first half. Sydney Donaldson has had some big games of late."
 
(On starting the second half of GNAC play)
"We've already seen this conference (once), and on any given night, anybody can beat each other. We have to make sure we're readyd and focuse and start well and take care of the little things."
 
FALCONS REPLAY
-- Katie Benson, playing the 100^th game of her Seattle Pacific career, had a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, but the Falcons also got 35 points and 13 rebounds from their reserves to beat Western Oregon last Thursday, 72-56.         
-- Benson poured in 24 points, Suzanna Ohlsen and fellow junior Betsy Kingma tallied 17 apiece, and SPU overcame a 14-point first-half deficit to beat Saint Martin's last Saturday night, 78-68.
                                                                                         
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Katie Benson was back in the double-double department for the Falcons last Thursday night. Her 16 points and 14 rebounds marked her seventh time this season with double-digits in both categories. The senior forward is the only SPU player with a double-double this winter.
2013-14 double-doubles:
Katie Benson (7 season, 17 career): 20 pts-10 reb vs. Humboldt State, Nov. 8; 20 pts-17 reb vs. Point Loma Nazarene, Nov. 16; 31 pts-14 reb at Azusa Pacific, Nov. 23; 26 pts-12 reb at Alaska Anchorage, Dec. 7; 19 pts-14 reb vs. South Dakota Mines, Dec. 19; 18 pts-10 reb vs. Montana State Billings, Jan. 11; 16 pts-14 reb vs. Western Oregon, Jan. 23.
 
RESERVES RACK 'EM UP
SPU's players off the bench had their best collective performance of the season last Thursday against Western Oregon. Senior Riley Butler, sophomore Brianne Lasconia, and freshmen Stacey Lukasiewicz, Rachel Shim, and Caitlin Heinly combined for 35 points and 13 rebounds in a 72-56 victory.
 
Butler (Kent, Wash. / Kentlake HS) and Lasconia (Seattle / Shorecrest HS) each scored 11 points. Lasconia also corralled a career-high eight rebounds. Shim (Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS) finished with eight points to double her previous career high, Lukasiewicz (Centennial, Colo.) added five points, and Heinly (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) grabbed a rebound.
 
Seattle Pacific's previous season best from its 'bench bunch' was 33 points and 12 rebounds in a 78-41 win against South Dakota School of Mines on Dec. 19.
 
BUZZER BEATERS GALORE
When shots are falling, they're falling – doesn't matter how tough the other team's defense is or how little time is left on the clock. In turning a 14-point first-half deficit  into an 18-point second-half lead, the Falcons beat three buzzers against Saint Martin's last Saturday.

A 3-footer from the right of the hoop by Stacey Lukasiewicz (Centennial, Colo.) fell through just an instant before halftime, bringing SPU within 33-29. In the second half, junior guard Suzanna Ohlsen (Monroe, Wash. / Monroe HS) drained a 3-pointer from the right side that got off just ahead of the shot clock buzzer for a 54-40 SPU lead. About 90 seconds later, freshman Hannah Rodrigues (Eugene, Ore.) drove for a lay-up that snuggled in at the shot clock buzzer to make it 56-42. She was fouled on the drive an complete the three-point play as the Falcons went on to win, 78-68.
 
KINGMA IS FEELIN' IT OUT THERE
The new year certainly has been a productive one for Betsy Kingma. In seven games since the calendar turned over, the redshirt junior guard has scored in double figures six times, tallying a season-high 21 points in an 82-77 victory at Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 16.
 
All of that has helped boost Kingma's scoring average to exactly 10 points per game -- a jump of 2.5 points from the final game of calendar year 2013.
 
Her points are going up because her shots are going down – especially from downtown. Kingma (Bellevue, Wash. / Newport HS) is hitting a sizzling .510 (25 of 49) from behind the arc in 2014, bumping her season percentage up 120 points from .255 to .375 (39 of 104). Same goes for her overall shooting mark, which has soared 67 points from .323 to .390. With 2- and 3-pointers combined, Kingma is at .485 (32 of 66) in January.
 
AROUND THE WEST                                                                                                        
Cal Poly Pomona's lead in the CCAA is down to one game after an 85-73 loss to Chico State last week. The Broncos are 10-2 in conference play, 13-3 overall, with Cal State East Bay right behind at 9-3, 12-7 overall. Within reach at 8-4 are Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-4 overall) and UC San Diego (11-5 overall).
 
In the Pacific West, Academy of Art (10-1, 13-6 overall)) has moved half a game ahead of Azusa Pacific (9-1, 11-5 overall). Azusa is not yet eligible for the NCAA Tournament this year because it is in just its second year as a Division II member. Close behind is Hawaii Pacific at 8-3 (12-5 overall).
                                    
POLLING PLACE
Having won five games in a row, the Falcons once again are receiving votes in the USA Today Sports / WBCA coaches poll. SPU had nine votes in the poll that was released on Tuesday. The GNAC does not have any teams in the top 25, but does have five schools – Alaska Anchorage, Northwest Nazarene, Montana State Billings, SPU, and Western Washington – getting votes.
 
Cal Poly Pomona remains the only West Region team in the top 25, falling three places this week to No. 17.
Bentley of Massachusetts (18-0) is still No. 1, and one of just two remaining unbeaten teams, along with Colorado Mesa (17-0). Gannan (Pa.), Emporia State (Kan.), Nova Southeastern (Fla.) and Harding (Ark.) all took their first losses last week.
 
MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
100^th block            Katie Benson (has 96)
200^th assist           Suzanna Ohlsen (has 199)
200^th point             Maddey Pflaumer (has 187)
700^th rebound       Katie Benson (has 680)
1500^th point           Katie Benson (has 1474)
                                                                     
MILESTONES MADE LAST WEEK
100^th game           Katie Benson (has 101)
400^th point            Betsy Kingma (has 404)
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
-- Katie Benson 20th in NCAA D2 scoring (20.6 points per game). She also is 36^th in rebounding (9.9).
-- The Falcons have climbed into the top 10 for free throw shooting at .775. That is a rise of 16 places from last week and 23 spots from two weeks ago.
-- SPU is No. 9 in blocks per game (5.1), a jump of three spots from last week.

Click on this link to see how SPU players and other GNAC teams and players stack up nationally.
 
TRACKING THOSE GNAC TOP 10s
SPU has four of its starters among the top 10 in various GNAC statistical categories.
-- Katie Benson 2nd in scoring (20.6), 2nd in rebounds (9.9), 5th in blocked shots (1.6), tie 6th in steals (1.9), 7th in field goal shooting (.498), 8th in free throw shooting (.824).
-- Betsy Kingma tie 2nd in 3-pointers made per game (2.3), tie 6th in assist / turover ratio (1.4), 7th in 3-point shooting percentage(.375), 9th in minutes (30.5),
-- Suzanna Ohlsen 3rd in free throw shooting (.868), 5th in assists (4.2), tie 5th in minutes (31.5), tie 6th in assist / turnover ratio (1.4), tie 6th in steals (1.9).
-- Maddey Pflaumer tie 9th blocked shots (1.1).

Click on this link to check out complete GNAC stats.            
 
AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for results, stats, news, and notes from around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
UP NEXT                                                              
With their final bye week of the season, the Falcons will have some extra practice time to get ready for their trip to Montana State Billings, set for next Saturday, Feb. 8. The game in Alterowitz Gymnasium will tip off at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time. SPU's next home game will be Thursday, Feb. 13, against Central Washington at 5:15 p.m.
 
 
GNAC STANDINGS
                                                GNAC                    Overall
Montana State Billings          7-2                        14-5
Western Washington            7-2                        11-6
Seattle Pacific                        6-3                         13-4
Simon Fraser                         6-3                        12-5
Alaska Anchorage                 5-4                        12-5
Saint Martin's                         5-4                        11-7
Northwest Nazarene            4-5                         11-6
Alaska Fairbanks                  2-7                           8-9
Western Oregon                   2-7                            5-12
Central Washington             1-8                           6-11