• Complete Release (pdf)    |    • VIDEO: Gilles  Dierickx

Oak Harbor Freight Lines Classic
Brougham Pavilion • Seattle, Wash.
• Webcast for all games: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/spu/  
• LiveStats for all games: www.sidearmstats.com/spu/mbball
 
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 –
Montana State Billings vs. Azusa Pacific, 4:30 p.m. PST
Northwest University vs. (#13) Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m. PST
 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 –
Montana State Billings vs. Northwest University, 4:30 p.m. PST
Azusa Pacific vs. (#13) Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m. PST
 
The 13th-ranked Seattle Pacific men seek to extend a seven-game winning streak while completing their non-conference schedule this weekend as hosts of the Oak Harbor Freight Lines Classic men's basketball tournament. The Falcons (7-1) join Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Montana State Billings (3-5) in taking on a pair of non-league teams at Brougham Pavilion. Doubleheaders take place both days, beginning Friday, Dec. 11 when Billings plays Azusa Pacific (6-2) at 4:30 p.m. followed by SPU versus Northwest University (5-7) at 7 p.m. They swap opponents Saturday with MSUB meeting Northwest at 4:30 p.m. before the Falcons take on defending West Region champion Azusa at 7 p.m.
 
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.
 


Ranking Report
The Falcons were listed in the NABC national coaches poll for the third straight week, climbing three spots to No. 13. They did not appear in the preseason poll and joined the rankings 23rd on Nov. 24. They polled as high as No. 2 last year, in the preseason, and ended 2014-15 at No. 11.  The SPU men have never held a No. 1 ranking.
 
Falcons Fast Facts
Five different players topped SPU in scoring in this season's eight games ... Guard Bryce Leavitt leads SPU in rebounding (7.8 rpg) and assists (5.9 apg) while ranking third in scoring (12.3 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.
 
Dynamic Defense
The Falcons rank No. 1 nationally in 3-point field goal defense, limiting opponents to 21.7-percent shooting beyond the arc (30 of 138). 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 fifth stingiest team, yielding just 62.6 points per game. The highest point total allowed was 73 by Hilo on Nov. 21 in Seattle.
 
Last Week
SPU opened GNAC play with two road wins, beginning with an 89-55 rout at Simon Fraser (Dec. 3). Joe Rasmussen led all scorers with 18 points. The Falcons forged their most convincing victory over Western Washington in 16 seasons with an 83-64 triumph in Bellingham (Dec. 5). Gilles Dierickx produced a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double while Mitch Penner poured in 17 points.
 
Scouting Northwest (5-7, 1-2 CCC)
> Located in Kirkland, Wash, Northwest is an NAIA member that competes in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
 
> The Eagles lost three of their last four games, including a 68-61 home setback on Tuesday against Pacific Lutheran.
 
> The Northwest offense features a pair of high scorers in Michael DuPree (20.5 ppg) and Dak Shagren (16.7 ppg).
 
> The Eagles are coached by John Van Dyke, who played at SPU from 1986-88 and averaged 5.4 points in 1987-88.
 
> The Falcons won all 11 previous regular-season meetings versus Northwest. They were 88-76 victors in the most recent encounter, an exhibition game on Nov. 9, 2010. The last regular-season meeting resulted in a 99-69 SPU win on Nov. 24, 2007 in Bellingham.
 
Scouting Azusa Pacific (6-2, 1-1 PacWest)
> The Cougars compiled a 27-6 record last season and won the 2015 NCAA Division II West Region championship.
 
> Azusa won five of its last six games this season, the lone loss being a 92-86 overtime setback at Point Loma on Dec. 3.
 
> The Cougars are outscoring opponents by an average of 79 to 68 behind an extremely balanced attack with nine players averaging 7.9 points or better. Austin Dyer is the only double-figure scorer at 10.1 points per game.
 
> The Falcons own a 3-1 edge in the all-time series and all four games were played in Seattle. They won the last meeting 72-53 on Nov. 10, 2012.
 
> In his seventh season at SPU, Ryan Looney has a 1-0 record against the Cougars.
 
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 12.4 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 begins 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 150-43 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 244-98 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.