SEATTLE - After a closely contested first half, Seattle Pacific shook off pesky Evergreen in the second half in taking an 86-62 men's basketball victory on Tuesday night at Royal Brougham Pavilion.

While the game was an exhibition for the Geoducks, it was a counter for the Falcons, who improved their record to 2-1.

Evergreen scored first on a three-point basket by Frankie Johnson and led 7-4 three minutes into the game. Seattle Pacific scored the next eight consecutive points to take the lead for good, though the Geoducks continued to hang around. Alix Hernandez hit a jumper to pull Evergreen to within one point, 32-31, with about three minutes left, but the Falcons scored the final eight points of the half, including a three-pointer at the buzzer, to take a 40-31 lead. That advantage was their largest of the period.

The second half was never close as Seattle Pacific finally showed why it is ranked in the top 25 in NCAA Division II basketball, taking its first 20-point lead with 14 minutes to go. The Falcons added on after that before closing with the 26-point victory.

Because the game was an exhibition for the Geoducks, head coach Tim Malroy doled out the minutes and got all of his players on the floor. Johnson, the starting point guard, had the hot hand from long range and led the team with 21 points. He was 6-for-10 from beyond the arc and played 30 minutes. Hernandez scored 14 points and Kortney Darby added 12 for the Geoducks. Jordan Rawls came off the bench to lead Evergreen with four rebounds.

The Geoducks play their next counting game at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, against New Hope Christian at CRC Gymnasium.