SODEXO TIP-OFF CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 18            Wisconsin-Parkside vs. Concordia (Oregon), 4:30 p.m.
                                        Seattle Pacific vs. Eastern New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.
                                         Brougham Pavilion (2,650) / Seattle, Wash.
 
Saturday, Dec. 19       Concordia (Oregon) vs. Eastern New Mexico, 4:30 p.m.
                                         Seattle Pacific vs. Wisconsin-Parkside, 7:00 p.m.
                                         Brougham Pavilion (2,650) / Seattle, Wash.
 
WEBCAST (all games):   http://portal.stretchinternet.com/spu/#
LIVE STATS (all games):   http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wbball/
 
 
        Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF)
 
SEATTLE – Academic finals are behind them. The holidays are still in front of them. And the 11^th annual Sodexo Tip-Off Classic is right in between for the Seattle Pacific Falcons.
 
SPU will take to Brougham Pavilion's court this weekend for the final preseason women's basketball tournament on the schedule as Concordia of Oregon, Eastern New Mexico, and Wisconsin-Parkside come to town.
 
Doubleheaders are set for Friday and Saturday. Concordia has the 4:30 p.m. game each day, facing Parkside on Friday and Eastern New Mexico on Saturday. The Falcons play the opposite opponent in the 7:00 p.m. slot.
 
Seattle Pacific's players had last week off from competition to take their fall quarter finals. The Falcons will bring a two-game winning streak into the Sodexo, having scored a 79-58 victory against Western Oregon on Dec. 3, and a 55-46 win against Concordia on Dec. 5 to open the Great Northwest Athletic Conference portion of the schedule.
 
After this weekend, the focus will shift entirely to GNAC play for the final 18 games of the regular season.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Free live Webcasts and live stats will be available for each of the four Sodexo Tip-Off Classic games. All Webcasts will be through Stretch Internet, the conference's official internet provider, with Falcons broadcaster Tom Gialanella calling all of the action. The appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.

Free Webcasts and live stats also will be available for all of the remaining GNAC games when that portion of the schedule resumes on Dec. 31.
 
SPLIT PERSONALITY
Normally, the women and men play a combined Sodexo tournament, with two women's games and two men's games on each of the tournament days.
 
But a twist in the schedule resulted in separate tournament this season. While the men's Sodexo was in Brougham Pavilion on Nov. 20 and 21, the Falcon women were in Azusa, Calif., at the West Region Crossover Classic.
 
In addition, four basketball games in Brougham Pavilion would have been a logistical challenge on Nov. 21, because the SPU volleyball team also had a home match scheduled for that evening after the two men's games were completed.
 
FORMER SPU COACH PRESNELL HITS MILESTONE
Gordy Presnell now can say he's the winningest coach in not just one college women's basketball program, but two.

 

Presnell, who racked up 396 wins during his 18-year tenure at Seattle Pacific, collected his 180th victory at Boise State on Dec. 6 in an 89-49 rout against the University of Portland on the Pilots' home court.
 
Now in his 11th season, Presnell begins this week with a 181-142 record as Boise State's coach. The 180th pushed him past Connie Thorngren, who went 179-121 from 1970-1984.
 
While at SPU from 1987-88 through 2004-05, Presnell's teams compiled a 396-127 record (.757 winning percentage). That included 10 NCAA tournaments, three trips to the Division II Elite Eight, and a spot in the 2005 national championship game. (Several members of that 2005 team were recognized on Dec. 5 in a 10-year reunion during halftime of the Falcons-Concordia game).
 
Seattle Pacific and Boise State are the only two schools at which Presnell has coached. His overall record is 577-269 (.682).
 
The closest person to Presnell on the Falcons' victory list is none other than current head coach Julie Heisey with a 221-74 record (.749).
 
SODEXO TICKET TALK
Tickets are available at Brougham Pavilion beginning 60 minutes before the first game each day, and continuing throughout the evening. Prices are $9 for reserved seating, $6 for adult general admission, and $3 for senior citizens (65 and older) and non-SPU students. One ticket will be good for both games on that particular day. SPU students, faculty, and staff presenting a current valid ID card will be admitted free. Complimentary programs will be available at the entrance to the gym.
 
 SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- This is the 11th year of the Sodexo tournament. The food services company took up sponsorship in 2005. The tournament was previously known by other sponsor names.
-- Regardless of name, the Falcons have a perfect record in the tournament – perfect, as in 28-0 (20-0 during the Sodexo years).
-- That perfection almost came to an end last year. After rolling to a 78-45 win against Fresno Pacific on the first night, SPU had to come from behind on the second night to beat Humboldt State in overtime, 83-74. The Falcons were down by six at 63-57 with 3:14 left in regulation before outscoring the Lumberjacks by a 10-4 count to force OT.
-- In this year's two previous preseason tournaments, Seattle Pacific won both games in the West Region Challenge (82-58 against host Humboldt State and 89-43 against Fresno Pacific), but lost both in the West Region Crossover Classic (73-60 to UC San Diego, and 70-56 to host Azusa Pacific).
-- Sophomore guard Jordan McPhee was named the MVP in the Humboldt tourney. Fellow sophomore Courtney Hollander joined her on the all-tournament team.
-- The Falcons have been streaky through the first month of the season. They won their first two, lost three straight, and now have won their past two.
-- SPU will play both Eastern New Mexico and Wisconsin-Parkside for the first time.
-- The most recent first-time foe for the Falcons was exactly one year ago Friday when they beat Holy Names in the Las Vegas Challenges, 82-46.
 
SCOUTING THE E. NEW MEXICO GREYHOUNDS: 4-3, 0-0 Lone Star Conf.
All-time series: First meeting. Greyhounds on the Web.
Greyhounds in a nutshell: Eastern New Mexico is off to a 4-3 start, having won three in a row before dropping a 73-54 non-conference decision at home to Wayland Baptist of Texas last Saturday. The Greyhounds went 9-18 overall last season, including 5-11 in the Lone Star Conference. Sarah Stinnett, a 5-foot-7 senior guard who led last year's team in scoring at 14.4 points per game and also was the leading passer with an average of 2.4 assists per game, is back, now averaging 9.6 points and 3.3 assists. Taking over that top scoring role through the first seven games this season is 5-foot-10 junior post player Kassandra Harris with her average of 10.7 points. She is the only Greyhound in double figures. She and Stinnett also are ENMU's best on the boards, with Harris at 4.9 per game and Stinnett at 4.7. Stinnett (8 of 24) and 5-10 junior wing player Briana White (11 of 33) are the most effective players from behind the 3-point arc. The Greyhounds and their opponents are nearly even in several major statistical categories: average scoring (66.4-65.4), total scoring (465-458), field goal shooting (.368-.373), and rebounds (41.1-41.7).
 
SCOUTING THE WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE RANGERS: 5-3, 1-1 Gr. Lakes Valley
All-time series: First meeting. Rangers on the Web.
Rangers in a nutshell: Wisconsin-Parkside is coming off a 22-8 season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament, where it came up short against No. 4-ranked Lewis University in the first round of the Midwest Regional, 80-66. The Rangers were an impressive 15-6 in games away from their home gym in Kenosha. Leading scorer and rebounder Gaby Bronson (12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds) graduated, but 6-foot senior guard Kristin Conniff has stepped up her production significantly to become the team's leading scorer at 15.6 per game after averaging 10.0 last season. She is shooting .470 from the field, well ahead of her .393 mark of a year ago. Also putting up points at a double-digit pace for Parkside is 5-11 redshirt senior forward Stephanie Furr (11.6) and 5-11 senior guard / forward Tara Knapstein (11.1). Furr is the leader on the boards for the Rangers at 5.6 per game. An 'X' factor is 6-4 sophomore center Shelby Cheston. She averages 6.6 points in 18.5 minutes per game, but usually finds the basket when she shoots, hitting .688 (22 of 32).
 
FALCON REPLAY
-- Stacey Lukasiewicz grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds and tied her career high with 13 points, and Jordan McPhee pumped in 15 points as SPU began its GNAC schedule with a 79-58 rout of Western Oregon on Dec. 3 to snap a three-game losing streak.
-- Hollander and McPhee both registered double-doubles, with Hollander scoring a career-high 20 points and McPhee pulling down a career-best 12 rebounds, as Seattle Pacific beat Concordia in GNAC play, 55-46, on Dec. 5.

COACH JULIE HEISEY SAYS …
 

(On having no games since Dec. 5)
"It was great to have the time off last week because we definitely were able to use that time to be able to get back to a lot of fundamentals. The season hits you so fast – you start October 15th, and right away, you're playing November 13th and 14th, and then we played three games in five days. You spend more time preparing for other people, and you lose some fundamentals of things that are important to you. It was good to come back and re-teach some stuff. We've had good practices, and we've gotten better."

(On this week's opponents)
"Eastern New Mexico has played some good teams. They're very, very athletic, and they're long. They definitely have some kids who are really quick and have a good first step. Wisconsin-Parkside has a very balanced scoring attack. They're long and they have good size. Both teams have double-digit scoring for several kids. It's not like you're just focusing on one or two people."
 
(On SPU's strong rebounding)
"We've worked really hard on that. Rebounding creates momentum. Courtney (Hollander), Jordan (McPhee), and Stacey (Lukasiewicz) are really good rebounders, and so is Hannah (Rodrigues). That's one thing that's contagious."

                                             
THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN A WHILE
 

Double-doubles have become a rather nice habit for the Falcons early in the season. It became doubly nice on Dec. 5 against Concordia when Courtney Hollander and Jordan McPhee each put one into the book.
 
Hollander (Lynden, Wash. / Lynden Christian HS) poured in a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. That was her third double-double of the season.
 
McPhee (Normandy Park, Wash. / Mount Rainier HS) logged her first of the season and her career with 11 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.
 
The last time SPU had two double-doubles in the same game was Feb. 28, 2011 in Brougham Pavilion. Nyesha Sims had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Katie Benson tallied 13 points with 10 boards to fuel an 81-45 rout of Western Oregon in a first-round game of the inaugural GNAC Tournament.
 
The Falcons now have five double-doubles for the season. In addition to those recorded by Hollander and McPhee, junior guard Stacey Lukasiewicz (Centennial, Colo.) had 13 points and a career-best 12 rebounds on Dec. 3, part of the 79-58 win against Western Oregon. That was her first as a Falcon.
 
THEY'RE GETTING THE MESSAGE
Coach Julie Heisey constantly reminds her players to control the things they can control – playing hard on defense, rebounding, and taking care of the basketball.
 
So far, the Falcons have shown themselves capable of doing a credible job in all three areas.
 
Seattle Pacific leads the GNAC in rebounding at 44.6 per game, and also ranks No. 1 in the GNAC in 3-point defense, allowing opponents a success rate of just 25.4 percent. The team's overall field goal defense also is right up there, as its .373 mark is third-best in the conference. With those numbers, the Falcons are yielding just 59.4 points per game, third in the conference and 64th among 318 teams in NCAA Division II.
 
Even with a couple of rough games in California last month, the Falcons still have the second-fewest turnovers among the 11 GNAC schools with 120, just three more than Montana State Billings, a team which is known for keeping its turnover total down. Those translate into averages of a league-low 14.6 for the Yellowjackets and 17.1 for Seattle Pacific, tied for third-lowest.
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Among the 318 programs in Division II, SPU ranks …
8th in rebounding margin (+10.9).
21st in rebounds per game (44.57)
22nd in 3-point defense (.254).
34th in offensive rebounds (16.0).
43rd in fewest fouls committed (129).
 
Individually, Courtney Hollander is 30th in defensive rebounds per game (7.0) and 87th in total rebounds (8.9).
 
Click on this link to see how SPU stacks up nationally. Click on this link to see where GNAC teams and players rank within Division II.
 
MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
200th rebound       Molly Grager (has 193)
                                     
MILESTONES MADE LAST WEEK
100th free throw    Hannah Rodrigues (has 100)
100th rebound       Stacey Lukasiewicz (has 111)
 
AROUND THE WEST
The wide-open nature of the West Region, which quickly became evident in November, is even more so now. With Alaska Anchorage's 71-62 loss at Western Washington on Dec. 5, every team in the West has at least one loss.
 
Anchorage still has by far and away the best record at 13-1 overall. Cal Baptist is 9-1, and UC San Diego has a 7-1 mark. Ironically, none of those teams is currently in first place, as each of them took their one defeat in conference play. The GNAC, California Collegiate Athletic Association, and Pacific West all have some undefeateds remaining through the early portion of their respective conference schedules.
 
The West's two-loss teams are Azusa Pacific (8-2), Cal State East Bay (7-2), and Central Washington (6-2).
 
Nationally, only 14 of the 318 programs in D2 have overall perfect records.

AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for the latest news, notes, results, and stats from around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
UP NEXT                                                                      
With the conclusion of preseason tournaments, the Falcons will get back into their GNAC schedule on New Year's Eve afternoon, Dec. 31, against Central Washington in Ellensburg. Tip-off is at 2:00 p.m. That will be the first of four straight road games, although the Falcons will be back in between all of them. SPU will conclude the first half of that journey on Saturday, Jan. 2 in Idaho against Northwest Nazarene at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time.
 
 
GNAC STANDINGS
                                                             GNAC                    Overall
Montana State Billings     2-0           5-3
Western Washington         2-0           5-3
Seattle Pacific            2-0           4-3
Alaska Anchorage           2-1           13-1
Central Washington         1-1           6-2
Simon Fraser               1-1           3-4
Concordia                  1-1           2-6
Saint Martin's             1-1           2-6
Northwest Nazarene         0-2           2-6
Western Oregon             0-2           1-8
Alaska Fairbanks           0-3           5-6