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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31 –
Alaska Anchorage at (#9) Seattle Pacific, 4:00 p.m. PST
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 –
Alaska Fairbanks at Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m. PST
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
• Webcast for both games: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/spu/
• LiveStats for both games: www.sidearmstats.com/spu/mbball
 
The ninth-ranked Seattle Pacific men's basketball team seeks to conclude the 2015 calendar year with a victory over one Alaska school and ring in the New Year with a win over the other. The Falcons (9-1, 2-0 GNAC), who are tied atop the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with this week's opponents, put a nine-game winning streak on the line when they host Alaska Anchorage (9-4, 2-0) on Thursday, Dec. 31. Tip-off is 4 p.m. at Brougham Pavilion where SPU won in each of the Seawolves last 11 visits to Seattle. On Saturday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m., the Falcons entertain Alaska Fairbanks (8-2, 2-0). The Nanooks lost 15 of their last 16 meetings with SPU. Following this week's home contests, the Falcons visit league-leading and third-ranked Western Oregon on Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. The remaining 18 games on the Falcons regular-season slate are all GNAC contests. 
 
Ticket Talk
Individual game tickets for SPU men's basketball games can be purchased at Brougham Pavilion (3414 Third Ave. W., Seattle 98119) on game day. Reserved seats for Falcon men's basketball are $10. General admission tickets are priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Groups or teams of 10 or more may qualify for special general admission rates by calling 206-281-2085 in advance.
 


Dynamic Defense
The Falcons rank No. 1 nationally in 3-point field goal defense, limiting opponents to 21.5-percent shooting beyond the arc (40 of 186). They rank No. 5 among NCAA Division II teams in overall field goal defense at 37.1 percent and have not allowed an opponent to reach the 50-percent plateau. The most accurate foe was Hawaii-Hilo at 47.5 percent. SPU is the nation's fourth stingiest team, yielding just 61.9 points per game. The highest point total allowed was 73 by Hilo on Nov. 21 in Seattle.

Falcons Fast Facts
Five different Falcons claimed team-high scoring honors in a game this season, including Mitch Penner and Joe Rasmussen three times apiece ... Guard Bryce Leavitt leads SPU in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and assists (4.8 apg) while ranking third in scoring (11.5 ppg) ... Seniors Mitch Penner and Gilles Dierickx were named to the 14-man Preseason All-GNAC team and the defending league tournament champion Falcons were projected third by the coaches poll ... Dierickx, a transfer from Washington, is the first 7-foot player in Falcons history ... Junior center Joe Rasmussen's father Blair had a eight-year NBA career in Denver and Atlanta.

 

Recent Recap
SPU completed non-league play with a 7-1 record, capped by pre-Christmas wins over Northwest (Dec. 11) and defending West Region champion Azusa Pacific (Dec. 12) at home in the Oak Harbor Freight Lines Classic. Joe Rasmussen led the Falcons' 76-64 decision over Northwest with a career-high 25 points. Tournament MVP Gilles Dierickx compiled 19 points and eight rebounds in the 71-54 victory against Azusa.
 
Scouting Alaska Anchorage (9-4, 2-0 GNAC)
> The Seawolves won their last four games, including two GNAC wins that put them in a four-way first-place tie along with SPU.
 
> UAA features junior guard Sekou Wiggs, a transfer from Idaho who leads the league in scoring at 23.7 points per game. He is a graduate of Seattle's O'Dea High School.
 
> The Seawolves lead the all-time series 35-34 despite losing the last seven meetings, their longest losing streak ever versus SPU. The Falcons swept both games in 2015, winning 73-51 in Seattle and 73-72 in overtime at Anchorage.
 
> The SPU men were victorious in the last 11 home games versus UAA. The Seawolves last win at Brougham Pavilion was a 75-73 decision on March 6, 2004.
 
> Seventh-year SPU coach Ryan Looney has a 10-4 record against Anchorage.
 
Scouting Alaska Fairbanks (8-2, 2-0 GNAC)
> The Nanooks won their last four games, including two GNAC wins that put them in a four-way first-place tie along with SPU.

> Fairbanks features four double-figure scorers, led by the 15.6-point average of Travante Williams.

> Mick Durham is in his fifth year as head coach at UAF. The former Montana State head coach posted his 300th career victory in the last outing, a 117-70 win over Northwest Indian College on Dec. 12. Durham has an 0-8 record against the Falcons.

> SPU leads the all-time series 57-15 and won 15 of the last 16 encounters versus the Nanooks, including a season sweep last year.

> Seventh-year SPU coach Ryan Looney has an 11-1 record against Alaska Fairbanks.

 

On the Rebound
The Falcons led the nation in rebound margin in 2014-15, collecting an average of 12.5 more caroms per game than opponents. They are dominating the glass again this season, out-boarding foes by 11.8 rebounds per contest to rank No. 3 nationally. SPU gathered 24 more rebounds against both Chico State on Nov. 27 (47-23) and Simon Fraser on Dec. 3 (45-21). The Falcons have been outrebounded just once this season, on Nov. 14 at Dixie State by a slim 33-31 margin.
 
Brilliant Brendan
Brendan Carroll doubled his previous career high with a 30-point performance at Dixie State (Nov. 14), leading Seattle Pacific to an 80-74 victory. The 6-foot-4 senior guard came within one of the school record for single-game 3-pointers, hitting nine of them in 12 attempts. He shot 10-for-16 overall against Dixie and added three rebounds, two steals and an assist. For the week Carroll averaged 20.5 points on 54-percent shooting (15 of 28) and hit half of his 3-pointers (9 of 18). Those figures included an 11-point effort on Nov. 13 in a 68-60 loss to Concordia (Ca.). Carroll poured in 28 points, on 10-for-18 shooting, in a 98-80 exhibition loss at Division I Washington.
 
Postseason Pursuit
SPU is seeking its 12th straight NCAA Tournament berth. The Falcons have been postseason participants every year since 2005, the longest consecutive playoff streak in school history. The current run of 11 straight postseason berths is the longest current streak among Division II men's basketball teams. The Falcons advanced to the national semifinals in both 2000 and 2006, placing third both times.
 
2016 Season Preview
Seattle Pacific's national-leading string of 11 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances will be tested this season. Three starters departed from last year's 24-8 squad, including four of the top-five scorers. Heading the list of returnees for seventh-year coach Ryan Looney's squad is honorable mention all-conference selection Mitch Penner. The 6-foot-5 senior forward ranked second on the team with 13.6 points per game in 2015. Also back is 6-4 senior point guard Bryce Leavitt and his 2.2 assists per game. Capable scoring reserves Brendan Carroll (6.2) and Garrett Swanson (3.6) also return along with talented red-shirt freshmen Nathan Streufert and Coleman Wooten, who are now eligible to play. Along with Dierickx, the impressive list of newcomers features two other transfers; Olivier-Paul Betu (UC Davis) and Hunter Eisenhower (Chadron State). The Falcons need to fill a void left by the departures of starters Matt Borton, Cory Hutsen and Riley Stockton. All three were All-GNAC performers last season and Stockton was a two-time Defender of the Year.
 
2015 Season Review
The Falcons forged a 24-8 overall record last year and captured their third straight GNAC Tournament championship with an 81-69 victory over Western Washington. SPU posted a 13-5 record to place second in the GNAC standings. The Falcons participated in the NCAA playoffs for the 11th consecutive year and advanced to the West Region semifinals before losing a 78-77 decision against California Baptist on a last-second shot. Senior guard Riley Stockton was honored as the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-league selection. Senior center Cory Hutsen was a second-team All-GNAC pick after leading the team with 15.8 points per game. Senior Matt Borton and returning forward Mitch Penner got honorable mention acclaim.

 

Looney's Ledger
Two-time GNAC Coach of the Year Ryan Looney is in his seventh season as the head coach of Seattle Pacific men's basketball program. Looney directed the Falcons to three consecutive GNAC Tournament championships (2012-14) and playoff berths in each of his six seasons. He has a 152-43 record at SPU, including a 24-8 mark last year. The Falcons registered a 27-4 record in 2013, equaling the school standard for single-season victories while establishing the best winning percentage (87.1%) in program history. In 2010, Looney became the first coach to direct the Falcons to a conference championship in his inaugural season. Looney, who led his alma mater Eastern Oregon to the quarterfinals of the 2009 NAIA Division II Tournament, was hired by SPU on May 26, 2009. He won his opening nine games on the SPU sidelines and reached the 100-win mark faster than any previous SPU coach (130 games). Looney, 40, has a 246-98 career record, including a 95-55 ledger in five seasons at EOU.
 
Three-Peat
Seattle Pacific won its third consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament championship on March 7, 2015 in Billings, Montana with an 81-68 victory over Western Washington. No other GNAC school has won more than one title. Departed senior center Cory Hutsen earned MVP honors after erupting for a tournament-record 34 points, on 15-for-23 shooting, in the title tilt.