THE SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 18                Alaska Fairbanks at Seattle Pacific, 7:30 p.m.
                                                Brougham Pavilion (2,650) / Seattle, Wash.
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats
 
Saturday, Jan. 20                Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific, 7:00 p.m.
                                                Brougham Pavilion (2,650) / Seattle, Wash.
                                                Live Webcast        Live stats
 
 
        Weekly release, with complete updated stats (PDF)

SEATTLE – They went on the road and won in two of the toughest places in the entire Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
Now, the Seattle Pacific Falcons will try to keep it going on their home court.
 
Fresh off a sweep of last week's road trip to Western Washington and Simon Fraser, SPU is back home this week to conclude the first half of conference play by welcoming Alaska Fairbanks and No. 4-ranked Alaska Anchorage to Brougham Pavilion.
 
The Nanooks will be in town on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in the second half of a doubleheader. The first half will feature the Falcon men tangling with Montana State Billings.
 
Come Saturday night, always-powerful UAA will be here. That one tips off at 7:00 p.m. That will be the 10^th game on the 20-game GNAC schedule for both teams.
 
SPU (12-3, 6-2 GNAC) is riding a three-game winning streak, including last week's 75-63 win at Western, and Saturday's 74-63 win at Simon.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
Both games this week, and all remaining games this season, home and away, will have live stats and a free live Webcast. Tom Gialanella will be on the Webcast play-by-play for home contests. The appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.
 
TICKET TALK
The Brougham ticket window opens 60 minutes prior to tip-off. Prices are $10 for reserved seats, $7 for adult general admission, and $4 for students, youths, and senior citizens. Seattle Pacific faculty, staff, and students are admitted free with proper school ID.
 
DREAM MATCH-UP TO CLOSE FIRST HALF OF GNAC PLAY
When GNAC coaches marked their preseason ballots back in October, Alaska Anchorage received six first-place votes and 106 total points to earn the favorite's role. But it wasn't by much: Seattle Pacific had two first-places and 103 points for second place.
 
So how's that working out?
 
UAA is indeed atop the standings at 8-0 heading into the final week in the first half of conference play. SPU is tied for second with Northwest Nazarene at 6-2.
 
But that's not all.
 
The Falcons are No. 1 in the GNAC for fewest points allowed at 60.4. The Seawolves are No. 2 at 60.7.  Anchorage is No. 1 in steals at 14.1; Seattle Pacific is No. 2 at 10.9.
 
On offense, UAA is No. 1 at 79.3; Seattle Pacific is No. 3 at 71.8. There are two other stat categories where the two teams are right next to each other: fewest turnovers (SPU No. 2 at 14.4; UAA No. 3 at 15.9) and free throw shooting (UAA No. 3 at .734; SPU No. 4 at .732).
 
SO WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
-- Although the Falcons have a 57-16 lead in the all-time series against Alaska Fairbanks, the Nanooks have won three of the last four, including a sweep of last year's two games.
--Last January in Brougham, Fairbanks scored the first 12 points of the game, and then had the last 10 points on the way to a 72-59 win.
--Starting forward Courtney Hollander and starting guard Rachel Shim missed both of last year's games against UAF. Hollander was injured for both; Shim was sidelined in Seattle because of an illness and in Fairbanks because of an injury.
-- Jordan McPhee was in double-digit scoring for both games, tallying 14 in Seattle and 18 in Fairbanks.
-- Alaska Anchorage will be the second nationally ranked opponent the Falcons have faced this season. The first one was Azusa Pacific, which was ranked No. 16 back on Nov. 17 when SPU scored an 80-69 victory on the Cougars' home court.
--The Seawolves have won 11 straight games against Seattle Pacific, all of them since Ryan McCarthy took over as head coach beginning with the 2012-13 season.
-- SPU's last win against Anchorage was 67-62 on Feb. 2, 2012 in Seattle. The Seawolves were ranked No. 8 nationally coming into that game.
-- Current assistant coach Suzanna Ohlsen, then a Falcons freshman, came off the bench for 24 minutes of action in that game, contributing five points, three assists, one blocked shot, and one steal.
-- Lindsay Lee went for double-digit points in both games against Anchorage last year: 12 in Seattle, 10 in Alaska, shooting 8 of 13 (61.5 percent) in the two games combined.
-- SPU has four of its starters among the GNAC top 10 across multiple statistical categories. Jordan McPhee is in five, including No. 4 in scoring and No. 2 in steals; Julia Haining also is in five, including No. 3 in overall rebounding and No. 2 in offensive rebounding; Courtney Hollander is in three, including No. 5 in rebounding; and Lindsay Lee is in two, including No. 10 in 3-pointers made.
-- Coach Julie Heisey is 21-3 against Alaska Fairbanks, and 11-18 against Alaska Anchorage.
 
SCOUTING THE ALASKA FAIRBANKS NANOOKS: 4-10, 0-8 GNAC (11th)
All-time series: SPU leads, 57-16. Current series streak: UAF won 2. Last time: UAF 63, SPU 61 (Feb. 16, 2017 at Fairbanks). Nanooks on the Web.
Nanooks in a nutshell: Fairbanks swept a pair of games from Multnomah University of Portland just prior to Christmas, but has lost all five contests since coming back from the seven-day holiday break. First-year coach Brett Sawyer's team is very respectable defensively, ranking No. 5 in the GNAC by allowing just 65.8 points per game. And, the Nanooks are tied for third on the conference rebounding list at 39.9. But points have been tough to come by, as UAF averages a mere 58.5 per game. Lexi Carpenter, a 5-foot-9 sophomore guard, averages 13.9 points, and is the only Nanook in double figures. She went for 32 points against Central Washington on Dec. 2, and has a pair of 19-point games. Not to be overlooked a 5-9 junior forward Ashlie Blackburn. Her average is 8.0, but she had 17 at Montana State Billings on Jan. 4, and 13 at home against Concordia-Portland last Thursday. She also is the team's best shooter from the floor at 46.1 percent (41 of 89), and is the team leader on the boards at 6.7 per night.
 
SCOUTING THE ALASKA ANCHORAGE SEAWOLVES: 15-1, 8-0 GNAC
All-time series: SPU leads, 39-29. Current series streak: UAA won 11. Last time: UAA 76, SPU 68 (March 3, 2017 at Lacey, Wash. In GNAC semifinals). Seawolves on the Web.
Seawolves in a nutshell: Anchorage has had a few close ones along the way, including last Saturday at home against Concordia-Portland. But teams of this caliber find ways to win, and in this case, the Seawolves went on a 16-7 scoring run in the final 2 ½ minutes to turn a 61-60 deficit into a 76-68 victory. They know how to light up the scoreboard, as their 79.3 points-per-game average not only leads the GNAC but ranks 19th among the 302 Division II programs. UAA has had seven games in the 80s and two in the 90s. Shelby Cloninger, a 6-foot senior forward, leads way at 14.1 points per game. Right behind her at 13.9 is 6-2 junior forward / center Hannah Wandersee. She tallied 27 against Northwest Nazarene and 24 against Hawaii Pacific, both of which are regionally ranked teams. Roderick Ware, a 5-6 senior guard, averages 10.1, mostly off the bench, but she has led the team in scoring three times. Cloninger and Wandersee average 6.5 and 6.4 rebounds per game, respectively, and both are sharphooters from the field: .508 for Wandersee, .498 for Cloninger.
 
THE (SLIGHTLY AFTER) HALFTIME REPORT
SPU moved beyond the midpoint of its 27-game schedule last week, and now has 15 games in the book with 12 left to play.
 
Here is how the Falcons compare statistically between this season's first 15 and last season's first 15:
 
Stat                            2018                    2017
Overall record  12-3         13-2
GNAC record      6-2 (2^nd)    5-2 (tie 2^nd)
Offense         71.8         70.1
Defense         60.4         53.3
Rebounds        41.7         39.3
Assists         15.5         18.7
Steals          10.9         10.5
Blocked shots    2.8          2.6
Turnovers       14.4         14.3
FG shooting     .406         .423
3-pt shooting   .304         .342
FT shooting     .732         .798
 
GOING FOR A GRAND
All season long, the possibility has been out there – but now, it's much more real:

 

Jordan McPhee and Courtney Hollander are on the verge of scoring their 1,000^th career points.
 
The two seniors each moved past the 900-point mark in last Saturday's 74-63 win at Simon Fraser. Hollander, who started the night with 899, added 11 to push her total to 910. McPhee came into that game with 896 and tacked on 26 more to put her at 922.
 
Hollander had more career points going into the season, 736-695. Since then, she and McPhee have gone back and forth three times, and have been tied once.
 
                             Hollander     McPhee
Start of season    736      695
Dec. 9             819      819
Dec. 28            862      867
Jan. 11            899      896
Jan. 13            910      922
 
The last player to reach 1,000 for the Falcons was Aubree Callen in 2015. Current assistant coach Suzanna Ohlsen also tallied her 1,000th point that year, albeit a few games earlier than Callen. Ohlsen finished her career with 1,394 points; Callan had 1,189.

ONE RECORD, TWO RECORDS
Jordan McPhee already had become a part of SPU women's basketball history this past November.
 
But once wasn't enough for the senior standout.

McPhee tied Falcon program record for free throw shooting accuracy last Saturday night by hitting 13 of 14 from the line in a 74-63 victory at Simon Fraser. She hit her first seven, missed one, then was good on her final six of the night, including 4 of 4 in the final minute of the game. Her 92.9 percentage was the same as Kerie Hughes shot on Jan. 5, 2002, against Western Washington. Hughes also had a 13-of-14 performance.
 
With that, McPhee now has her name alongside tow Seattle Pacific free throw records. She hit 6 of 6 at the line on Nov. 10, part of the team's 23-of-24 night. The 95.8 percent success rate in that game broke the old team record of 92.9 (26 of 28) set in 2005.
 
At .775 for her career (258 of 333), McPhee is on the cusp of SPU's all-time top 10. The No. 10 career percentage is .780 (135 of 173) by Joanie Fukuma from 1984-88.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Courtney Hollander (3 season / 17 career)
11 pts-11 reb vs. Humboldt State, Nov. 10
10 pts-10 reb at Fresno Pacific, Nov. 11
12 pts-12 reb at Western Oregon, Dec. 2
 
Julia Haining (2 season / 2 career)
13 pts-16 reb vs. Humboldt State, Nov. 10
14 pts-17 reb at Concordia-Portland, Nov. 30
 
Jordan McPhee (1 season / 3 career)
19 pts-10reb vs. Oklahoma Christian, Dec. 18
 
MARKING A MILESTONE
In reach
100th free throw   Rachel Shim (has 89)
100th steal        Rachel Shim (has 84)
200th point        Carly Rataushk (has 172)
300th point        Julia Haining (has 290)
400th point        Lindsay Lee (has 393)
500th point        Erica Pagano (has 458)
600th rebound      Cici West (has 589)
 
Made last week
100th free throw   Erica Pagano (has 103)
100th rebound      Lindsay Lee (has 102)
400th point        Rachel Shim (has 418)
900th point        Jordan McPhee (has 922)
                   Courtney Hollander (has 910)
 
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Among the 302 programs in D2, SPU is …
– 32nd in rebounding margin ( 7.2)
-- 32nd in steals per game (10.8)
-- 40th in rebounds per game (43.15)
-- 39th in fewest turnovers (186)
-- 42nd in assist / turnover ratio (1.09)
-- 45th in defensive rebounds per game (29.0)
-- 46th in turnovers per game (14.3)
 
Click on this link to see how SPU ranks nationally. Click on this link for a look at other GNAC teams and players in the national stats.
 
POLLING PLACE
Last week's road sweep at Western Washington and Simon Fraser moved SPU back up to No. 4 in this week's D2SIDA West Region Poll, which was released on Monday. That was a jump of one spot. Alaska Anchorage remains at No. 1 with five of the six first-place votes, and UC San Diego is No. 2 with the other first-place vote. Azusa Pacific stayed at No. 3.
 
Seattle Pacific is not in this week's national top 25 or on the "others receiving votes" list. Ashland of Ohio (17-0) remains a unanimous No. 1. Anchorage climbed two places to No. 4, and Azusa  of the Pac West jumped three places to No. 15. In addition, UC San Diego of the CCAA moved into the top 25, checking in at No. 24.
 
AROUND THE WEST
As the GNAC prepares to wind up the first half of its schedule, Alaska Anchorage remains the team to beat, with its 8-0 conference mark and 15-1 overall record. Last week began with Northwest Nazarene all alone in second, but is now deadlocked with SPU at 6-2, as the Nighthawks dropped a 79-73 decision to Central Washington last Tuesday in Nampa.
 
UC San Diego has a commanding three-game lead atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association standings, having extended its winning streak to 11 games last week. The Tritons are 11-0, 15-2 overall. Cal Poly Pomona is the next-closest team at 8-3, with Chico State and Humboldt State both at 8-4. Humboldt visits Chico on Saturday.
 
Azusa Pacific, with seven straight wins, and Hawaii Pacific, with nine in a row, remain the hottest teams in the Pacific West Conference. However, one of those win streaks will end on Thursday night when the Sharks (7-1, 13-2 overall) come to Azusa (9-1, 18-2 overall). Concordia Irvine (6-3, 9-6 overall) and Dominican (5-3, 11-5 overall) are the teams closest to the two front runners.
 
UP NEXT
The second half of GNAC play for Seattle Pacific begins with a four-game road trip. The first stop is next Tuesday in Lacey against Saint Martin's at 7:00 p.m. The Falcons then east late in the week for a game at Montana State Billings on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time.


GNAC STANDINGS
                                                Conference    Overall
Alaska Anchorage        8-0       15-1
Seattle Pacific         6-2       12-3
Northwest Nazarene      6-2       10-3
Montana State Billings  5-3       12-6
Concordia-Portland      5-4       11-6
Central Washington      4-4        8-8
Simon Fraser            3-5        8-8
Western Oregon          3-5        7-7
Western Washington      3-5        7-9
Saint Martin's          1-7        5-11
Alaska Fairbanks        0-8        4-10