The Seattle University women's basketball team, presently the top team among the Division I independent schools with a 17-7 overall record, brings a ten-game winning streak into an important contest Saturday night at the Connolly Center, as Cal State Bakersfield, tied for second in the independent standings with a 16-9 record, comes to town on Senior Night.
According to ESPN.com, Seattle University is a game-and-a-half ahead of South Dakota, a team SeattleU defeated in overtime last weekend, 57-53. Cal State Bakersfield is also a game-and-a-half behind the Redhawks, but has a victory over SeattleU in Bakersfield on Jan. 9 (83-62). That was also the last time the Seattle University women's basketball team has lost a contest.
Since the loss to Cal State Bakersfield, Seattle University has traveled to Houston Baptist, Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico-Bayamon, SIU Edwardsville, and Academy of Art University, defeating all of them. The Redhawks have already completed season sweeps of SIU Edwardsville, Houston Baptist, and most recently Academy of Art University.
During this current ten-game winning streak, Seattle University has also defeated both North Dakota and South Dakota, two programs that enjoyed a lot of success at the Division II level and were expected to quickly adapt to the Division I atmosphere. During the team’s current ten-game winning streak, Seattle University is scoring 69.9 points per game and giving up 56.2 points per contest. The team is averaging 11 more rebounds than its opponents during this stretch (44.5 - 33.4). Breanna Salley is averaging 18.0 points per game, followed closely by Chelsie Morrison with 15.8 points per contest. Mercedes Alexander is averaging a double-double over the past ten games with 10.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
Earlier this season, Seattle University picked up victories at the University of Portland, currently second in the West Coast Conference standings. as well as at Big West member UC Davis and Western Athletic Conference school San Jose State. The Redhawks also played tough against current Big Sky Conference leader Portland State, defending Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State, and Big West school Pacific, all on the road.
Individually, with her 17 points Thursday, Breanna Salley reached the 400-point mark for the season, the first Seattle University player to score at least 400 points since Cal-Jean Lloyd scored 423 points in the 2001-02 season. Salley’s current season total of 406 points is 29th on the SeattleU single-season point list. Mercedes Alexander reached the 225-rebound mark against Academy of Art University on Thursday, the first SU women’s basketball player to hit that total in 12 years. Alexander presently has the 24th-highest single-season rebound total in school history with five games remaining. Finally, for the second time in her career, Cassidy Murillo has placed her name in the top ten list for three-pointers made in a season, hitting 49 this year, currently tied for ninth on the list. Her total of 54 three-pointers in the 2006-07 season is third-most in a single season.
Live stats and a live audio broadcast of Saturday's game against Cal State Bakersfield will be available on GoSeattleU.com.