ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After a week of finals, Seattle University made the trip east Friday in preparation for Saturday's game at Eastern Washington. This is the final game of a six-game road swing, and SeattleU has a chance to finish the stretch with a winning record. This will be the first of two meetings this season between the Eagles and the Redhawks, with Eastern Washington coming to Seattle for a Feb. 1 contest.
THE UC DAVIS GAME: With four players scoring in double figures and Seattle University enjoying a significant rebounding edge, the Redhawks earned their second road win of the season, an 88-78 victory over the UC Davis Aggies last Saturday afternoon at the Pavilion. Chris Gweth scored a season-high 22 points, hitting three shots from long distance and all five of his free throw attempts, plus he collected five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Charles Garcia notched his fifth double-double for the season, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. After UC Davis scored the first four points of the second half to take the lead, SeattleU went on a 12-2 run, led by traditional three-point plays from Mike Boxley and Gweth and a Garcia three-pointer, to regain the lead, 54-44. Back-to-back three-pointers by Gweth and Garcia allowed the Redhawks to take their biggest lead of the game (65-48) halfway through the second half. The Aggies came within six points at 80-74 with over a minute left in regulation, but a basket by Garrett Lever made it a three-possession game, and SeattleU went 6-for-8 from the free throw line at one stretch to put the game away. Playing in his hometown, Cervante Burrell finished with 16 points, five assists, and three steals, while Aaron Broussard contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. Alex Jones had another solid game off the bench with eight points, four rebounds, and two blocked shots, and Lever added five rebounds and four assists to the winning effort.
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles, also taking the week off for finals, come into Saturday's game with a 3-5 record after losing its Big Sky opener at Portland State, 98-75. Eastern Washington has defeated only one Division I school, a 72-68 victory at Texas-Arlington, with its other two victories coming against Whitman and Walla Walla. The Eagles are scoring 72.2 points per game and giving up 75.5 points per contest. As a team, Eastern Washington is shooting 42.0 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from behind the three-point line, and 73.0 percent from the free throw line. Four players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Mark Dunn at 12.1 points per game and 59.4 percent shooting from the field. Brandon Moore is averaging 11.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while Benny Valentine ia also averaging 11.6 points along with 4.1 assists per game and Glen Dean is contributing 10.6 points and 3.8 assists per contest.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 13th meeting between Seattle University and Eastern Washington, but only the third game between the in-state rivals since the 1951-52 season. Eastern Washington won the first seven meetings, four during the 1945-46 season, both games in the 1946-47 campaign, and the game at Cheney in 1948-49. Seattle University finally broke through later that season at the Seattle University Gymnasium, winning 55-48. SeattleU swept the season series in 1951-52, winning at home 83-58 and on the road 95-80. The teams did not meet again until Nov. 22, 1985, an 83-64 win for the Eagles at Reese Court.
LAST MEETING: 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 on Feb. 24, 2009, at Reese Court. 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 Seattle University its first lead since the first half. After Eastern Washington 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 the 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.