Box Score           • Final Stats     |     • VIDEO: Coach Ryan Looney

SEATTLE – David Downs is at his best when he is selective with his shots.
 
Downs missed just one shot en route to his fourth consecutive 20-point performance, scoring 23 Thursday during Seattle Pacific's 66-46 triumph over Alaska Fairbanks in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball game at Brougham Pavilion.
 
The 6-foot-2 point guard made 8 of 9 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Downs (Kirkland, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) ranks No. 5 nationally in 3-point accuracy at 57.3 percent (51 of 89).
 
"He did a really good job not forcing things, not using his dribble too much," Coach Ryan Looney said of his senior leader. "He kind of took what the defense gave him. In all reality, all nine of those shots he took were quality ones."
 
Downs converted all three of his free throws and distributed two assists. He was voted the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches.
 


During the last four games, Downs is averaging 25.5 points while shooting 58 percent from the floor (29 of 50). He was even better behind the arc during that stretch, nailing 61.5 percent of his long-range shots (16 of 26).
 
Downs ranks sixth among all-time SPU scorers with 1,467 career points. He needs 55 more to supplant Howard Heppner (1962-66) in the No. 5 spot.
 
His efficiency Thursday helped SPU's offense put the game away midway through the second half with a run of 14 unanswered points while the defense held the visitors scoreless for a span of 6:43. Downs netted eight points during the surge that provided a 57-32 advantage with 8:43 left to play.
 
The Falcons (12-4) halted a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-2 in GNAC games.
 
Fairbanks (7-5), coming off a 65-61 victory over league-leading Western Washington, saw its conference mark evened at 2-2.
 
Junior center Cory Hutsen scored 13 points for SPU and senior forward Patrick Simon added 10.
 
 
"He does so many different things for our team from a toughness standpoint that probably don't even show up in a boxscore," Looney said of Simon. "And he helps defensively too with his size.
 
"Obviously on offense, having a 6-foot-8 guy that can stretch the floor makes us much more efficient."
 
Sergej Pucar paced the Nanooks with 14 points and Ronnie Baker had 11.
 
Fueled by Downs dynamic shooting, the Falcons shot 61.9 percent (26 of 42) and went 9 of 13 collectively on 3-pointers.
 
UAF was limited to 37.5 percent from the floor (18 of 48) and made just 3 treys in 17 tries.
 
After turning the ball over on the game's opening possession and allowing UAF to score the initial basket, the Falcons made their first four shots. When Matt Borton hit a 3-pointer 3:49 into the game they led 9-2.
 
That lead increased to a high of 12 points in the first half, at 22-10 with 8:48 left in the period. The Nanooks tallied the next seven points to draw within 22-17, but Downs scored back-to-back baskets and later added a trey to extend the margin to 29-19.
 
SPU led 31-23 at halftime.
 
The Falcons stay in Seattle to host Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion. The Seawolves average a league-leading 90.4 points per game, nearly 24 more than the 66.6 points SPU surrenders to opponents.
 
"It comes down to one thing," Looney described. "They like to shoot the three, and shoot a lot of them. We're going to have to make it tough, contested ones."
 
 
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
at Seattle Pacific 66, Alaska Fairbanks 46
 
ALASKA FAIRBANKS (7-5, 2-2 GNAC)
Tica 1-6 0-2 2, Kelly 2-5 2-2 6, Pucar 5-12 3-5 14, Baker 5-11 0-2 11, Slocum 1-4 0-0 3, Bills 2-4 2-4 6, Stepovich 1-1 0-0 2, Reese 1-2 0-0 2, Renfro 0-1 0-0 0, Pierson 0-0 0-0 0, Allen 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-48 7-15 46.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (12-4, 3-2 GNAC)
Borton 2-4 0-0 6, Simon 4-5 0-0 10, Hutsen 6-9 1-2 13, Downs 8-9 3-3 23, Stockton 3-5 0-0 6, Penner 2-4 0-0 4, Carroll 1-2 0-0 3, Hamlin 0-0 1-2 1, Ehlers 0-1 0-0 0, Rasmussen 0-1 0-0 0, Todd 0-2 0-0 0, Morse 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-42 5-7 66.
 
Alaska Fairbanks..............   23   23  -   46
Seattle Pacific...............   31   35  -   66

3-point goals--UAF 3-17 (Baker 1-3, Slocum 1-3, Pucar 1-5, Tica 0-3, Reese 0-1, Renfro 0-1, Allen 0-1), SPU 9-13 (Downs 4-5, Borton 2-3, Simon 2-2, Carroll 1-2, Penner 0-1). Fouled out--UAF-None, SPU-None. Rebounds--UAF 25 (Pucar 5), SPU 25 (Stockton, Penner, Simon, Carroll 4). Assists--UAF 10 (Slocum 4), SPU 16 (Stockton 5). Total fouls--UAF 11, SPU 14. Technical fouls--UAF-None, SPU-None. Att.-412.

 
Next SPU Men's Basketball Game
Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Jan. 11, 7:00 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.