In the team’s closest game over the past two months, Seattle University was able to come from behind to force overtime, and then held Eastern Washington without a field goal in the extra period on its way to a 63-59 victory Tuesday night at Reese Court, the team’s tenth straight win.
Down by six points with 39 seconds remaining in regulation, Austen Powers () converted on a put-back to cut the lead to four. After Benny Valentine made one of two free throw attempts, Chris Gweth () hit a three-pointer to bring SeattleU within two at 55-53 with 16 seconds left. Gary Gibson made only one free throw, and Powers nailed a three-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining to tie the game at 56-56.
Michael Wright (, ) hit the first basket of the overtime session to give its first lead since the first half. After made three free throws to go up by one, neither team was able to score a point for two and a half minutes. With 31 seconds remaining in the overtime, Mike Boxley () converted on a traditional three-point play to put SeattleU back up by two. Three straight turnovers by the Eagles allowed the visitors to pull out their tenth straight victory.
Powers led all players with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Gweth finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Boxley contributed 12 points, three rebounds, four assists, and four steals, and Wright, Shaun Burl (, ), and Drew Harris () each scored six points in the victory.
“We were tested all the way to the end,” head coach Joe Callero said. “You don’t want to be patted on the back for almost beating Division I schools. You want to win those games, and we are doing that.”
The two teams basically traded baskets for the first eight minutes of the game before went on a 13-2 run over the next seven minutes to go on top, 23-13. responded with six quick points to come within four, but the Eagles were able to hold off the visitors and take a 27-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.
For (12-16), Brandon Moore led the way with 13 points, seven rebounds, and two steals, while Matthew Brunell came off the bench and contributed 12 points and six rebounds. Benny Valentine, coming into the game as the team’s leading scorer with 15.7 points per game, was held to eight points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 shooting from the free throw line.
After shooting 45.8 percent from the field in the first half, was held to 7-of-26 shooting in the final 25 minutes. Meanwhile, shot 50 percent from the field after halftime and ended up winning the rebounding battle, 35-31. The Eagles shot 21-of-29 from the free throw line, while the Redhawks hit 11-of-19 from the charity stripe during the game.
Seattle University (18-6) heads back out on the road this weekend, traveling to Grand Forks, N.D., to face the University of North Dakota Friday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Seattle time). SeattleU then heads to Vermillion, S.D., to face the of Saturday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. local time before returning to in preparation for the big game against the Tuesday, March 3.