SEATTLE – The field is set for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championships that happen March 6-8 at Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash inside Marcus Pavilion. The Falcons enter as the No. 3 seed and play No. 6 Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday at noon.
QUOTABLE
"It's March," head coach Keffrey Fazio said. "Every team has to find a way. Every team wants to survive and advance. The urgency of the moment must be at an all-time high. We will prepare like there's no tomorrow. We are excited to get to Lacey."
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
March 6-8 | Lacey, Wash. | Saint Martin's University | Marcus Pavilion
All times listed are Pacific.
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Noon – No. 6 seed Alaska Fairbanks vs. No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific
2:15 p.m. – No. 5 seed Montana State Billings vs. No. 4 seed Western Washington
Friday, March 7, 2025
Noon – Winner UAF/SPU vs. No. 2 seed Northwest Nazarene
2:15 p.m. – Winner MSUB/WWU vs. No. 1 seed Central Washington
Saturday, March 8, 2025
5 p.m. - Men's Championship Game
TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Tickets for the 2025 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Championships are now available online. The event is hosted by Saint Martin's University at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash., and will run from March 6-8. Tickets are available online here.
Tournament passes, which allow admission to all 10 games of the event, are priced at $78 for reserved seating, $63 for general admission, and $43 for seniors ages 60+, children ages 6-12, and high school/college students with a current I.D. card. Individual session passes, each valid for two games, are available for $20 for reserved seating, $15 for general admission, and $11 for seniors, children, and current students. Children ages 5 and under do not require a ticket.
DIRECTIONS TO MARCUS PAVILION
5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA 98503
Coming from the north: From Interstate 5 southbound, take exit 109 Martin Way. Turn right off the exit onto Martin Way. At the first traffic light, turn left onto College Street. Proceed with the directions below.
Coming from the south: From Interstate 5 northbound, take exit 108 Sleater Kinney Road/College Street. After exiting, stay to the left toward College Street. Continue on 3rd Avenue SE. Turn right on College Street. Proceed with the directions below.
Traveling south on College Street, turn left onto Lacey Boulevard (just after the Pacific Avenue intersection). Turn left onto Franz Street (just after the Ruddell Road intersection) and cross Pacific Avenue to Saint Martin's University entrance, where Franz Street will turn into Father Meinrad Gaul Drive.
MARCH FAVORS THE FALCONS
The Falcons are in contention for their GNAC-record fifth conference tournament title, with their last crown coming during the 2019 campaign. The Falcons have advanced to 13 of 14 conference tournaments since the event began in 2011 and posted a three-peat with trophies coming from 2013-15. SPU went 15-14 overall and 11-7 in conference play during the regular season, clinching the No. 3 seed and a first-round matchup against No. 6 seed Alaska Fairbanks.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Falcons put together a tremendous second half of their 2024-25 season to make the GNAC tournament. The season was highlighted by a seven-game winning streak that started on Jan. 23 and didn't end until Feb. 15. Signature wins include a 72-65 victory over then-25th-ranked Saint Martin's. The Falcons also picked up a thrilling 64-63 road victory over Western Washington. The win gave them the season sweep and tiebreaker over the Vikings, which helped them earn the third seed in the GNAC tournament.
WHAT THEY DO BEST
The Falcons are at their best when they control the game's pace. Opponents averaged 70.5 points per game against SPU this season. It's the third-lowest total and ranks second amongst teams qualified for the GNAC Tournament. Teams are shooting 43.5 percent from the field against the Falcons. It's the third-lowest in the conference and second-lowest of teams qualified for the GNAC Tournament.
The Falcons rebound the ball well, especially on the defensive end of the floor. SPU averages 27.4 defensive rebounds per game, the second-best in the conference. Jaxon Nap has been one of the best rebounders in the country this season. He leads the GNAC with 9.7 rebounds per game and ranks 13th in the country.
The Falcons offense has become one of the most efficient in the conference. They've shot 47.8 percent from the field this season, and own the third-best shooting percentage in the conference. Trace Evans and Nap have led the way in offense efficiency. Evans ranks second in the conference with a 63.1 field goal percentage this season. Nap landed sixth in the conference after shooting 56 percent from the field this season.
SCORING FOR THE SQUAD
Owen Moriarty leads the Falcons with 14.6 points per game. He's taken advantage of his free throws all season long. Moriarty is shooting 86.7 percent from the free-throw line. Moriarty ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage. Five Falcons averaged double-figure scoring this season. Nap (11.9 ppg), Evans, (11.7 ppg), Mason Landdeck (11.2 ppg), and Jonas La Tour (10.6 ppg) have filled it up for the Falcons.
ABOUT ALASKA FAIRBANKS
The Nanooks turned to a five-game winning streak to earn their way into the GNAC Tournament. They earned GNAC Team of the Week honors after a 123-115 four-overtime thriller over Saint Martin's last Thursday and a victory over Western Oregon secured their spot in the tournament. Chris Lee is one of the league's best scorers. He enters the tournament averaging 15.2 points per game. Elyon Zevenbergen trails only Nap in rebounding in the conference with 8.4 per game. The Falcons and Nanooks split their season series, with each team winning on their home floor.
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