THE SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 29              Simon Fraser at Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m.
                                                Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.               
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats        
 
Saturday, Jan. 31                Western Washington at Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m.
                                                Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats
 
 
        Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF)
 
SEATTLE – A fresh start to a new week, and a fresh start through the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Seattle Pacific Falcons are ready for both.
 
Seeking to bounce back from last week's road losses at Western Oregon and Saint Martin's, SPU heads into the women's basketball regular-season homestretch with a return to Brougham Pavilion to face Simon Fraser on Thursday night and arch-rival Western Washington on Saturday.
 
Both games tip off at 7:00 p.m. This will be the start of a three-game homestand for Seattle Pacific.
 
The Falcons, Clan, and Vikings concluded the first half of conference play deadlocked for second place in the standings at 6-3. With the conference schedule halfway over, the regular season is now two-thirds of the way complete, with just nine games remaining.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Live stats and free live Webcasts will be available from the two games. Both will be through Stretch Internet, the official Internet provider of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.
 
TICKET TALK
Tickets are available at Brougham Pavilion beginning 60 minutes before tip-off. Prices are $9 for reserved seating, $6 for adult general admission, and $3 for students and senior citizens (65 and older). SPU students, faculty, and staff presenting a current valid ID card will be admitted free. Complimentary programs are available at the entrance to the gym.
 
CALLEN'S 1,000^TH POINT COULD COME AT HOME
Thanks in part to last Saturday's 22-point performance at Saint Martin's, SPU redshirt senior guard Aubree Callen has a very legitimate chance to reach the 1,000 mark during this three-game homestand.

 

Callen (Jerome, Idaho) begins the week with 959 points. If she is on her average of 14.2 per game, she would reach 1,000 on Homecoming Saturday, Feb. 7, against Montana State Billings. If she has big nights against both Simon Fraser and Western Washington, it's possible she could get there this Saturday.
 
Whenever it happens, Callen will be the second Falcon this season to top the millennium scoring mark. Senior point guard Suzanna Ohlsen (Monroe, Wash. / Monroe HS) tallied her 1,000th in a 75-47 victory against Alaska Fairbanks on Dec. 4 in Brougham.
 
This will be the fifth time in program history that two Falcons have reached 1,000 in the same season. The most recent such occurrence was during the 2004-05 season by Carli Grant and Mandy Wood.





SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- SPU will be looking to snap its first multi-game losing streak since a three-gamer that stretched from Dec. 19, 2013 to Jan. 4, 2014.
-- At 14-3 through 17 games, the Falcons are still one game ahead of where they were last year at this time. Their 6-3 GNAC record matches what they did through the first half of last season's conference schedule.
-- If SPU beats Simon Fraser, that will be its first season sweep of that school since 2010-11, the year the Clan joined the GNAC and became the first Canadian school in the NCAA.
-- A victory against Western Washington would secure SPU's first sweep of the Vikings since 2007-08, the same season the Falcons went 29-1 and reached the NCAA Sweet 16.
-- SPU and Simon Fraser each feature two of the GNAC's top 10 scorers. Erin Chambers of the Clan leads NCAA Division II with her average of 23.1 points per game. Suzanna Ohlsen is No.3 in the GNAC (17.3), Aubree Callen is No. 7 (14.6), and the Clan's Meg Wilson is No. 9 (13.9).
-- The Falcons, whose Maddey Pflaumer (No. 7 at .533) and Suzanna Ohlsen (No. 10 at .522) rank among the conference's top 10 in field goal accuracy, will face four of the GNAC's sharpest shooters this week. WWU's Kayla Bernsen (.556) and Sydney Donaldson (.553), and Simon's Rachel Fradgley (.551) and Meg Wilson (.546) rank No. 2-3-4-5, respectively.
-- Seattle Pacific and Western are the top two GNAC teams in four different major stat categories: blocked shots (WWU 4.9 to 4.1), field goal shooting (WWU .489 to .452), 3-point shooting (WWU .400 to .379), and free throw shooting (SPU .797 to .783). In addition, they're tied for first in fewest turnovers per game at 14.7.
-- Coach Julie Heisey is 9-10 against Western and head coach Carmen Dolfo, and is 5-7 against Simon Fraser and head coach Bruce Langford.
 
SCOUTING THE SIMON FRASER CLAN: 10-7, 6-3 GNAC (tie 2^nd)
All-time series: SF leads, 18-8. Current series streak: SPU won 1. Last time: SPU 61, SF 56 (Jan. 3, 2015 at Burnaby, B.C.). Clan on the Web.
Clan in a nutshell: Simon Fraser had a three-game winning streak going until front-running Alaska Anchorage ended it last Saturday by an 86-66 count, in part by limiting Erin Chambers to just 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting. But Chambers scoring below 20 is a rarity – it has happened just four times in 17 games. She has three games of 30 or more. The 6-foot-1 senior guard / forward had 21 on Jan. 3 when SPU won in Burnaby, 61-56. But just as dangerous for the Clan are junior 6-1 forward Meg Wilson and senior 5-6 guard Katie Lowen. Wilson shoots .546 from the field and averages a team-leading 8.2 rebounds per game. Lowen can be deadly from downtown, averaging 13.9 points and shooting .391 from behind the arc. Sophomore point guard Ellen Kett is tied for the top spot in GNAC assists at 5.6 per game, having dished 95 so far.
 
SCOUTING THE W. WASHINGTON VIKINGS: 12-6, 6-3 GNAC (tie 2^nd)
All-time series: WWU leads, 53-28. Current series streak: SPU won 2. Last time: SPU 74, WWU 64 (Jan. 1, 2015 at Bellingham). Vikings on the Web.
Vikings in a nutshell: After a 74-64 New Year's night loss at home to Seattle Pacific, the Vikings won their next five, and have taken six of the past seven. The only bump during that stretch was a 71-58 loss at Alaska Anchorage last Thursday. Western Washington has four players averaging in double figures. Leading that group is Taylor Peacocke. The savvy 5-foot- 9 sophomore guard who finds ways to get open or get to the hoop for quality shots is hitting at a .484 clip from the field and averaging 14.1 points per game. Also  in double digits for the Vikings are 6-3 junior center Kayla Bernsen (12.0), 5-9 senior guard Katie Colard (11.7) and 5-5 senior guard Jenni White (10.3). Bernsen logged a double-double against the Falcons on New Year's night, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sydney Donaldson, a 6-0 senior forward, and Tia Briggs, a 6-1 sophomore forward who provides a boost off the bench, can come up big, as well. Donaldson had a double-double of 24 and 10 on Jan. 15 at Western Oregon, then led WWU in scoring again two nights later with 15 at Saint Martin's. Briggs averages 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds.
 
FALCON REPLAY
-- Suzanna Ohlsen scored 21 points last Thursday, but the Falcons went cold from the field during the second half and saw its eight-game winning streak end as Western Oregon rallied for a 67-62 victory.
-- Aubree Callen scored 22 points and Ohlsen had 21, but SPU couldn't wipe out the last part of a 15-point second-half deficit and dropped a 68-66 decision to Saint Martin's last Saturday.
 
THE FALCONS SAY …
Coach Julie Heisey on looking ahead after last week's losses:
"We're still going to do great things. Conference is hard. If there are weaknesses to be exposed, we need to see them now, not in the tournament."

 

Heisey on getting back into a defensive mode:
"We've been hanging our hat on defense. We can't give people hope and spot them 40 points in the first half (as happened at Saint Martin's). In the second half, we held them to 28, we outscored them, and we rebounded better. We've got to work toward putting 40 minutes together top to bottom."
 
Senior guard Aubree Callen on jumping right back into the freay this week:
"It's pretty frustrating losing these last two games. … That's the thing about our conference. Win or lose, you're coming up against another two good teams. That's kind of a nice thing, because we have something to look forward to."
 
HOME FOR HOMECOMING
For the first time in four years, the SPU women will be in Brougham Pavilion for Homecoming. The Falcons will play in the first half of a doubleheader next Saturday, Feb. 7, tipping off at 2:00 p.m. against Montana State Billings.
 
The last Homecoming appearance for the women was Jan. 22, 2011, when they beat Western Oregon, 64-54. Since then, the conference schedule has had them on the road for Homecoming Saturday.
 
CLIMBING TOWARD 100 – AND TOP 10
Senior point guard Suzanna Ohlsen will hit the 100-game career mark when she takes the court against Western Washington on Saturday night. Ohlsen will be the second SPU player this season to reach that milestone. Redshirt senior guard Aubree Callen played her 100th on Jan. 8 in a 70-60 victory at Montana State Billings.

 

Ohlsen also is on the brink of moving into SPU's all-time top 10 scoring leaders. She started last week in 15th place on the list at 1,133 points. With 21 points at Western Oregon on Thursday, she moved past Cheryle Meppelink (1,142 from 1983-84 to 1984-85) into 14th. Then, with another 21 on Saturday at Saint Martin's, Ohlsen leapfrogged into 13th past Kelsey Hill (1,162 from 2006-09).

Now with 1,175 points, Ohlsen is 11 points from 12th-place Stephanie Urrutia (1,186 from 2000-03), 34 from 11th-place Shannon Holland (1,209 from 1979-81), and 40 from 10th-place Valerie Gustafson (1,215 from 2001-04).
 
SWAT TEAM
Seattle Pacific has come up with at least five blocked shots in each of the last five games.
 
Last week's road trip was particularly noteworthy for two Falcons in that department. Senior center Maddey Pflaumer (Issaquah, Wash. / Issaquah HS) had four at Western Oregon, tying her career high that she originally set on Dec. 7, 2013 at Alaska Anchorage.

 

Freshman guard Jordan McPhee (Normandy Park, Wash. / Mount Rainier HS) had the first two blocks of her college career last Saturday at Saint Martin's.
 
For the season, SPU is averaging 4.1 blocks per game, ranking No. 2 in the GNAC.
 
HALFTIME IN THE GNAC
With the conference schedule now at its midpoint, the Falcons rank No. 1, 2, or 3 in 13 different statistical categories.
 
SPU is at the top of the pile in free throw shooting (.797) and fewest turnovers per game (14.7, tied with Western Washington). It ranks No. 2 in field goal shooting (.452), 3-point shooting (.379), 3-pointers made (6.5), blocked shots (4.1) and turnover margin (plus-2.41). The Falcons are third in fewest points allowed (60.9), scoring margin (plus-13.2), field goal defense (.389), 3-point defense (.277), and steals (9.8).

 

Individually, four different players – all of Seattle Pacific's seniors – are among the top 10 in at least one stat category. Point guard Suzanna Ohlsen is in eight, with a high mark of No. 3 in scoring (17.3). Aubree Callen and Maddey Pflaumer are in three apiece. Callen's high is No. 3 in 3-point percentage (.415), and Pflaumer's is a tie for No. 4 in blocks (1.4). Betsy Kingma in a pair of top 10s, ranking No. 2 in both 3-point percentage (.425) and 3-pointers made (2.8).
 
POLLING PLACE
The Falcons fell to No. 22 in this week's USA Today Sports / WBCA national poll. SPU was No. 8 before last week's losses at Western Oregon and Saint Martin's. Conference leader Alaska Anchorage (18-1, 8-1 GNAC) remained No. 3 behind Lewis University of Illinois (19-0 and a unanimous No. 1) and Emporia State of Kansas (16-1). Humboldt State, at No. 25, is the only other West Region team in that top group. A total of five other teams received votes.
 
In the D2SIDA national poll, the Falcons dropped out of the top 25, but still received 23 votes, putting them 29^th overall. SPU is now No. 4 in the D2SIDA West Region poll.
 
AROUND THE WEST
SPU isn't the only team coming off of a tough week. Of the 10 teams in the D2SIDA West Region poll that is voted on by sports information directors, three of them suffered at least one defeat.
 
That group includes Humboldt State, leader of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Lumberjacks were blown out at Cal Poly Pomona, 85-52, before bouncing back win at UC San Diego, 67-64. Humboldt (15-2, 11-1 CCAA) is now just one game ahead of Cal State Dominguez Hills (15-5, 10-2) and Pomona (12-4, 10-2).
 
In the Pacific West, Hawaii Pacific continues rolling along. The Sharks have won nine straight, have a 17-2 overall record and 12-0 conference mark. The latter is 2 ½ games clear of second-place Brigham Young-Hawaii (12-5, 9-2), which has won seven in a row.
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
SPU is (out of 289 Division II teams) …
-- 3^rd in free throw percentage (.797)
-- 13^th in 3-point percentage (.400)
-- 22^nd in field goal percentage (.452)
-- 31^st in assist / turnover ratio (1.04)
-- 42^nd in blocked shots (4.1)
-- 44^th in fewest turnovers per game (14.7)
-- 46^th in average points scored (74.1)
 
Individually, Betsy Kingma is now among the top 25 in Division II for 3-point success, her .425 percentage ranking 25^th. She is 27^th at 2.82 makes per game. Suzanna Ohlsen is 32nd in steals (2.69) and 48 in field goal shooting (.522). Aubree Callen is 43rd in free throw shooting (.868).
 
Click on this link to see how the Falcons rank in all Division II statistics. Click on this link to see how other GNAC teams and players stack up nationally.
 
MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
100^th game             Suzanna Ohlsen (has 98)
200th rebound       Betsy Kingma (has 197)
                                  Hannah Rodrigues (has 196)
300^th assist            Suzanna Ohlsen (has 289)
400^th point              Maddey Pflaumer (has 389)
400^th rebound       Aubree Callen (has 390)
1,000^th point          Aubree Callen (has 959)
1,216^th point*        Suzanna Ohlsen (has 1,175)
*Needs 1,216 to move into SPU's all-time top 10 for scoring   
 
MILESTONES MADE LAST WEEK
300th field goal    Aubree Callen (has 306)

AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for results, stats, news, and notes from around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
UP NEXT           
Seattle Pacific has next Thursday off, then finishes up the three-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 7, against Montana State Billings. The tip-off time on Homecoming Saturday is 2:00 p.m. The Falcons beat the Yellowjackets on Jan. 8 in Montana, going on a 20-3 scoring run to end the game and secure a 70-60 victory.
 

GNAC STANDINGS
                                                GNAC    Overall
Alaska Anchorage                 8-1        18-1
Seattle Pacific                        6-3        14-3
Western Washington            6-3        12-6
Simon Fraser                         6-3        10-7
Central Washington             5-4        10-7
Alaska Fairbanks                  4-5        12-7
Montana State Billings         3-6        11-8
Saint Martin's                         3-6         6-11
Western Oregon                    2-7         5-12
Northwest Nazarene            2-7         4-14