Using a balanced attack that saw four players score in double figures, the women’s basketball team earned its tenth straight victory, an 80-63 win over Academy of Art University Thursday night at the .
Breanna Salley () contributed to the victory in several ways, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. Elle Kerfoot (, B.C.) earned a season-high scoring total for the second straight game, hitting three baskets from behind the three-point line on her way to 17 points along with three assists.
(6-19) kept the game close early in the second half, as a three-pointer by Caprice Hall and a jumper by Lorraine Etchell brought the Urban Knights to within four at 48-44 with 13:41 remaining in the second half. used its size advantage to pull away, outscoring the Urban Knights 17-4 over the next five and a half minutes to extend its lead to 65-48.
Mercedes Alexander () notched her sixth double-double of the season, earning 16 points and 14 rebounds to go along with four steals. Tatiana Heck () also had a solid night in the paint, shooting 5-of-7 from the field in picking up 12 points and six rebounds during the game.
Cassidy Murillo (, ) hit all three of her field goal attempts in scoring seven points along with three assists and two steals, while Chelsie Morrison () finished with five points, three rebounds, two assists, and four steals. Samantha Messersmith () played well off the bench, contributing six points and seven rebounds in 15 minutes of action.
In the first half, went on an 18-2 run over a seven-minute span to go on top 26-7 midway through the opening period. slowly chipped away at the lead, outscoring SeattleU 14-6 over the final seven minutes to close to within six (36-30) at halftime.
The Urban Knights were led by Levalasi Key, who finished with 14 points and nine rebounds but played only four minutes in the second half due to foul trouble which eventually led to her fouling out. Hall hit three long distance shots and finished with 12 points, while Sondra Stilwell also scored 12 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists, and six steals. Etchell added 11 points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals for .
shot 50.7 percent from the field (34-of-67) while hit 43.1 percent of its field goal attempts (25-of-58). The Redhawks won the rebounding battle, 41-30, and forced 22 turnovers by the Urban Knights as SeattleU scored the first basket 22 seconds into the contest and never looked back.
The ten-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest in school history. SeattleU has also won nine straight games at home, tied for the fifth-longest home winning streak in the 32-year history of the program.
(17-7) will face Cal State Bakersfield Saturday, Feb. 21, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the . Shortly before tip-off, Alysse Carlson (, ) and Morrison will be honored in Senior Night ceremonies. Live stats and a live audio broadcast of the game will be available on GoSeattleU.com.