THE SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 26             Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene, 4:15 p.m. PST
                                              Johnson Sports Center / Nampa, Idaho
                                              Live Webcast        Live stats
 
Saturday, Jan. 28             Seattle Pacific at Central Washington, 5:15 p.m.
                                              Nicholson Pavilion / Ellensburg, Wash.
                                              Live Webcast        Live stats
 
 
         Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF)
 
SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific Falcons aren't going to be particular about where they get back into their winning groove.
 
Just so long as they can get back into it.
 
Looking to halt a four-game skid, the Falcons begin the second half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule with an extended stretch of road games – four in a row, to be precise.
 
The first two of those are this week. SPU visits Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho, on Thursday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. Then on Saturday, they'll head across the Cascades to Ellensburg for a 5:15 p.m. contest at Central Washington.
 
The Falcons came up short twice at home last week, dropping a 71-62 decision to No. 5-ranked Alaska Anchorage, then falling 72-59 against Alaska Fairbanks.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Both games will have a live Webcast and live stats available. The Webcast will be through Stretch Internet, the official Internet provider of the Great Northwest Athletic conference. The appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.
 
BEST IN THE WEST
With five weeks left in the regular season, here are the 11 teams with the best chance of earning one of the eight available spots in the NCAA West Region tournament. The GNAC, CCAA and Pacific West tournament champions get automatic berths. Then, the next five highest teams among the non-champions in the NCAA regional rankings get the other berths. The highest ranked team among the eight qualifiers has the right to host the tournament.
 
Teams are listed in order of their overall winning percentage (first column):
 
School                                      Overall         Pct.         D2          Pct.      West        Pct.
1. Alaska Anchorage       17-1    .944    17-0  1.000   15-0  1.000
2. Cal Baptist            20-2    .909    20-2   .909   19-1   .950
3, Simon Fraser           17-3    .850    17-3   .850   15-3   .833
4. Western Washington     15-3    .833    15-3   .833   13-3   .813
5. Point Loma Nazarene    15-3    .833    13-3   .813   13-3   .813
6. UC San Diego           14-3    .824    14-3   .824   13-3   .813
7. Hawaii Pacific         12-3    .800    12-3   .800   11-2   .846
8. Seattle Pacific        13-5    .722    12-5   .706   11-5   .688
9. Chico State            11-6    .647    11-6   .647   11-6   .647
10. Cal State San Brnrdno. 9-5    .643     9-5   .643    9-5   .643
11. Cal State East Bay    11-7    .611    11-6   .647   11-6   .647
 
SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- Seattle Pacific starts the week as part of a three-way tie for fourth place in the GNAC standings with Northwest Nazarene and Alaska Fairbanks. All three teams are 5-5, although the Falcons have the best overall record among those three schools at 13-5. UAF is 9-8, and NNU is 7-9.
-- Even though the last four games have not gone their way, the Falcons are still two games better in the GNAC than they were last year at the midpoint. Their 3-7 record in 2016 had them sitting in a tie for eighth.
-- When this week's two opponents visited Brougham Pavilion right after the holidays, Seattle Pacific gained a split decision: a 64-58 victory against Central Washington, but a 73-66 loss to Northwest Nazarene – the first defeat of the season after an 11-0 start.
--The Falcons had a 22-12 lead on NNU early in the second quarter. But by halftime, the Crusaders had climbed back into a 34-34 tie, then went ahead for good early in the third.
-- SPU trailed Central by two at 55-53 with 2:57 left on Dec. 27, then ran off seven points in a row and stayed in front the rest of the way.
-- Seattle Pacific's most recent double-double came in that game against the Wildcats as junior forward Courtney Hollander had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
-- Keeping an opponent in the 60s or lower is key for the Falcons. All five of their losses have been when the other side has scored 70 or more points.
-- NNU's 73-point output against SPU on Dec. 29 is the highest of any team this season. The Crusaders also had the most field goal attempts of any opponent (65) and the most rebounds (44).
--SPU's road games at both schools were close last season: a come-from-behind 52-49 win at Central, and a 66-65 loss at NNU.
--The outcome in Nampa was one of four (in 38 all-time games) that was a one-pointer. The Falcons have won three of those four.
-- Seattle Pacific has a 4-2 record outside of Brougham Pavilion, including 2-2 in true road games (2-0 on neutral courts).
-- Northwest Nazarene has a 3-4 record at home. Central Washington is 2-6 on its home court.
-- Coach Julie Heisey has a 16-7 record against NNU, from which she graduated in 1989. She is 20-3 against Central.
 




SCOUTING THE NW NAZARENE CRUSADERS: 7-9, 5-5 GNAC (tie 4th)
All-time series: SPU leads, 29-8. Current series streak: NNU won 3. Last time: NNU 73, SPU 66 (Dec. 29, 2016 at Seattle). Crusaders on the Web.
Crusaders in a nutshell: Northwest Nazarene has lost three in a row, but the last two, both at home, have been very close: 89-87 to Concordia last Thursday on an overtime buzzer beater, and 78-75 to Western Oregon on Saturday after a 14-point lead got away in the final 8½ minutes of the game. The Crusaders are still the second-highest scoring team in the conference at 78.7 points per game, with seven games in the 80s. But they allow the most among GNAC schools at 80.1. Ellie Logan, a 5-foot-9 junior guard, leads Northwest Nazarene in scoring at 11.9 points per game and shoots a solid .480 from the field. Senior 6-0 forward Katie Cryderman is right behind at 11.7 points and hits at a .515 clip, and junior 5-11 guard Lexi Tubbs averages 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds. Danielle Jardine, a 5-10 sophomore forward, leads the way on the boards at 5.9 per game.

SCOUTING THE CENTRAL WASHINGTON WILDCATS: 7-11, 2-8 GNAC (10th)
All-time series: SPU leads, 47-30. Current series streak: SPU won 1. Last time: SPU 64, CWU 58 (Dec. 27, 2015 at Seattle). Wildcats on the Web.
Wildcats in a nutshell: Central halted a four-game slide last Thursday with a 77-63 win at home against Western Oregon, then fell two points short of Concordia on Saturday 59-57. Points haven't come easily of late, as the Wildcats have been below 60 in four of the past five games. Still, they have players who can fill up the hoop. Taylor Baird, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, averages 13.7 points per game, and has led the scoring in nine games. She also pulls down an average of 8.2 rebounds per game, second-best total in the GNAC. She has six double-doubles, including 11 points and 12 boards against SPU on Dec. 27. Baird is a sharpshooter from the field, hitting 53.3 percent to rank No. 5 in the conference Junior 5-5 guard Jasmin Edwards adds 10.9 points per game, and keeps the offense moving with an average of 4.9 assists. She set CWU's pace with 15 points in last month's contest in Brougham Pavilion.

FALCONS REPLAY
-- Lindsay Lee scored a career-high 12 points, but Autummn Williams poured in 29 as No. 5-ranked Alaska Anchorage came from nine points down at halftime to beat the Falcons last Thursday in Brougham Pavilion, 71-62.
-- Alaska Fairbanks scored the first 12 points and the final 10 points of the game last Saturday and downed SPU, 72-59. Jordan McPhee led the Falcons with 14 points.
 
IT'S LEE FOR THREE
Junior guard Lindsay Lee (Spokane, Wash. / Lewis & Clark HS) has always had the green light to launch away from downtown. Last Thursday night against fifth-ranked Alaska Anchorage, that light was glowing brighter than ever.

 

Lee bombed in 12 points from behind the arc – all during a span of 6 minutes, 9 seconds bridging the first and second quarters – to eclipse her previous career high of 11. She not only shot the Falcons back into the game, she pushed them ahead of the Seawolves. When Lee hit her first trey at the 2:13 mark of the first quarter, it cut a five-point SPU deficit down to just two at 10-8.
 
When her fourth one swished through at the 6:04 mark of the second quarter, it gave Seattle Pacific a 22-21 lead. That was part of a 13-0 run to bring the Falcons from 21-16 behind to 29-21 in front. Lee had a hand in the first 10 of those 13 points: back-to-back treys, then back-to-back assists.
 
ANOTHER McPHEE COMES TO SEATTLE
Jordan McPhee won't be the only basketball-playing member of her family in the area this week. After she and the Falcons arrive back home from Saturday night's game at Central Washington, she'll be eager awaiting Sunday's Pacific-12 Conference showdown in Seattle between the No. 7 Washington Huskies and No. 10 Stanford.
 
The 5:00 p.m. game in UW's Hec Edmundson Pavilion will give Jordan the opportunity to see twin sister Brittany play for the Cardinal.

 

Both are big parts of their respective teams. The 5-foot-10 Jordan (left) has started all 18 games for SPU, where she is No. 2 in scoring (11.1), No. 3 in rebounding (5.2), and No. 1 in steals (1.8), all in an average of 24.9 minutes per game.
 
Brittany McPhee, a 6-footer, has started all 19 games for Stanford, where she is No. 2 in scoring (13.3), No. 4 In rebounding (4.8), and No. 5 in steals (0.7) in 27.7 minutes per game.

JORDAN McPHEE FEATURED IN THE TIMES
Jordan McPhee was the subject of a major feature article on the front page of the Seattle Times sports section last Wednesday, Jan. 18.
 
Click on this link to read the piece by Times sports writer Scott Hanson.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
The Falcons did not log any double-doubles last week. They have four for the season.
 
COURTNEY HOLLANDER (3 season / 12 career)
13 pts-14 reb vs. UC San Diego, Nov. 18
10 pts-11 reb at Concordia. Dec. 3
10 pts-11 reb vs. Central Washington, Dec. 29
 
JORDAN McPHEE (1 season / 2 career)
14 pts-10 reb at Western Oregon, Dec. 1
 
STACEY LUKASIEWICZ (0 season / 1 career)
 
MARKING A MILESTONE
Only one milestone was reached last week, as senior Lindsay Lee scored the 200th point of her career.
 
In the making
100th assist           Jordan McPhee (has 93)
100th point             Jaylee Albert (has 90)
100th steal             Jordan McPhee (has 97)
                                  Hannah Rodrigues (has 87)
400th point            Stacey Lukasiewicz (has 367)
400th rebound      Hannah Rodrigues (has 396)
500th point            Brianne Lasconia (has 486)
 
Made last week
200th point            Lindsay Lee (has 206)
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING (TOP 50)
Among the 318 programs in D2, SPU is …
-- 9th in assists per game (17.9)      
-- 11th in total assists (323)
-- 12th in free throw shooting (.780)
-- 15th in scoring defense (56.3)
-- 16th in assist / turnover ratio (1.20)
-- 40th in total steals (184)
-- 42nd in rebound margin (+6.3)     
-- 44th in scoring margin (+11.8)
-- 45th in steals per game (10.2)
 
Click on this link to see how the Falcons stack up nationally in all statistical categories. Click on this link to see how other GNAC teams and players rank.

POLLING PLACE
The Falcons continue to rank among the top 10 in the D2SIDA West Region poll, which is voted upon by sports information directors. SPU is at No. 6 on the latest list, down one spot from last week.

Though not in the top 25, Seattle Pacific also is still receiving votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association national poll. The team did not receive votes in this week in the D2SIDA national poll.

Ashland of Ohio remained atop both national polls, including a unanimous No. 1 ranking from the SIDs. Alaska Anchorage is No. 2 among SIDs and No. 3 among coaches. Western Washington is 15th on the D2SIDA national list, with Simon Fraser at No. 21. Anchorage is also a unanimous No.1 in the West Region among SIDs.

AROUND THE WEST
Alaska Anchorage concluded the first half of the GNAC schedule with a 10-0 record (17-1 overall), and is on a 13-game winning streak. Western Washington, after beating Simon Fraser last Tuesday, has sole possession of second at 9-1 (15-3 overall), with the Clan right behind in third at 8-2 (17-4 overall). If that was the end of the season (instead of just the first half), those three schools, plus Alaska Fairbanks, Northwest Nazarene, and SPU, would be the six teams in the conference tournament.
 
UC San Diego now has a two-game lead atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association standings. The Tritons (10-1, 14-3 overall) have won10 straight games. Cal State East Bay (11-7 overall) and Stanislaus State (10-10) are tied for second with 8-3 conference records. Chico State (11-6 overall) has the second-best overall winning percentage at .647, but is just sitting just seventh in the standings at 6-5.
 
Cal Baptist not only continues to lead the Pacific West Conference with an 11-0 record, it is the first Division II team this year to reach 20 victories, now at 20-2. That said, Hawaii Pacific (9-1 conference, 12-3 overall) and Point Loma Nazarene (9-2, 15-3) are still within reasonable striking distance.
 
HOMECOMING IS UPCOMING
Homecoming and the culmination of Seattle Pacific's 125th anniversary celebration is just three weeks away.
 
On the basketball court, the SPU women will take on Simon Fraser in the first game of a women's-men's doubleheader, tipping off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Falcon men play Central Washington at 4:00 p.m.
 
Homecoming Saturday starts at 9:15 a.m. with the Falcon Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 9:15 a.m. It will take place in the Fine Center at First Free Methodist Church, which is located on 3rd Avenue West, directly across from campus. Honorees will include men's soccer coach Cliff McCrath, his 1978 NCAA national championship team, coach Virginia Husted, and SPU stalwart John Glancy. Tickets are $20, and those wishing to attend can register online at www.spu.edu/homecoming.
 
The day concludes with an all-athletics reunion in Brougham Pavilion following the basketball doubleheader.
 
AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for the latest news, notes, results, and stats from around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons play two more on the road next week. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, they visit Saint Martin's in Lacey, tipping off at 7:00 p.m. A trip to Montana State Billings is set for Saturday, Feb. 4, with a 6:00 p.m. Pacific time tip-off. The next home game is Thursday, Feb. 9, against Western Washington at 7:30 p.m., the second half of a Brougham Pavilion doubleheader. The first game is the SPU men against Northwest Nazarene at 5:15 p.m.
 
 
GNAC STANDINGS
                                                Conference          Overall
Alaska Anchorage                    10-0                    17-1
Western Washington                 9-1                     15-3
Simon Fraser                              8-2                     17-3
Seattle Pacific                             5-5                     13-5
Alaska Fairbanks                       5-5                       9-8
Northwest Nazarene                 5-5                       7-9
Concordia                                   4-6                       7-11
Western Oregon                         3-7                       7-10
Montana State Billings             3-7                        6-12
Central Washington                   2-8                       7-11
Saint Martin's                              1-9                       5-13