State Farm Holiday Hoops Classic Fan Central
It was a tale of two halves for the Seattle University women's basketball team Wednesday evening at KeyArena at Seattle Center. Despite a much improved second half and an adjusted starting five, the Redhawks could not come away with an opening victory at the SU-hosted State Farm Holiday Hoops Classic. The Redhawks dropped a 61-52 decision to the Loyola Marymount Lions, falling to 4-10 on the season, while LMU improves to 6-7.
"We got ourselves in a hole early and tried to battle out of it, but we (missed) our opportunities at the (free throw) line," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "I am disappointed .. because collectively as a team we can play a lot better and a lot harder."
After shooting 26.9 percent (7-for-26) in the first half from the field, the Redhawks shot a game-best 48.1 percent (13-for-27) in the second half. Their much improved offense, which held a better shooting percentage than the visitors from Los Angeles, was not enough to make up for their poor first half offense. In the game, SU shot 37.7 percent (20-for-53) to LMU's 37.1 percent (23-for-62); however they struggled from the free throw line. They shot 10-for-23 (43.5 percent), missing significant opportunities to sink their charity stripe chances and comeback in the game, while the Lions shot 66.7 percent (10-for-15).
Carley Butcher (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) earned her first start of the season in the game, taking over starting center duties for SU. Her presence was not immediately felt as the game started off with both sides struggling to get the ball into the hoop.
Seattle U was able to strike first behind a second chance Salena Dickerson (Federal Way, Wash.) layin, but the Redhawk offense would be silenced by LMU following their opening basket. The Lions would hold the Redhawks scoreless for nearly 10 minutes, as they went on an 18-0 run.
At 8:31, Tatiana Heck (Lynnwood, Wash.) would break the ice for Seattle U with a layup off an Elle Kerfoot (Surrey, B.C.) quick assist. She would be fouled on the play, but was unable to make the most of her three-point play.
Down 18-4, Butcher would extend the Redhawks' scoring run, receiving a clean pass from Julee Christianson (Missoula, Mont.) below the basket. Dickerson would then add a three-pointer with less than six minutes to go, to continue to kick start Seattle U's late blooming offense.
Amani Butler (Corona, Calif.) followed, making it a 20-11 game heading inside the four-minute mark and freshman Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) continued SU's offensive run with a jumper to make it a 10-point game with just over three minutes left in the first half.
At 3:04, Butler would be sent to the line. She converted both her charity stripe shots and Dickerson would add a free throw of her own to bring Seattle U within seven, 23-16.
LMU would snap Seattle U's offensive run with a jumper, but Dickerson followed by driving the ball to the hole on the Redhawks' following possession.
After a sluggish start, where their offense did not get things going until late in the half, the Redhawks went into the locker room down by nine points, 27-18.
Seattle U came out of halftime and kicked things off by getting on the board first with a Butler dish to Butcher, cutting LMU's lead to seven with 19 minutes to go.
Butler added a layin of her own, before the Lions' would earn their first points of the half at 18:04 off a Candice Nichols layup.
The Redhawks maintained their offensive grind, as they continued to chip away at LMU's once 16-point lead early.
Dickerson maintained Seattle U's momentum, sinking a clean three-pointer to make it a 32-29 game with less than 15 minutes to go. The three-point deficit would be the closest Seattle U would get to evening the game in the second half.
In the game, senior Dickerson would go on to be the team's top scorer with 18 points, including a pair of three-pointers. She also grabbed down a team-leading five boards.
At 13:39, Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) made her first points of the game to keep SU within five, but LMU's Renahy Young would put up five straight points to maintain the Lions' multiple possession lead.
Young's five points would foreshadow the remainder of the contest. As Seattle U would close in on Loyola Marymount's lead, the Lions would continually find away to build it back up, teetering around a 10-point lead.
With less than 10 minutes to go, Loyola Marymount reestablished a double figure lead, but a Butcher pair of free throws and a Butler three-point play would bring SU within seven, 47-40.
Seattle U's Heck cut it to a five-point game again, before fouling on LMU's ensuing offensive drive allowing the Lions' to make it a 50-42 game with less than six minutes to go.
Loyola Marymount would retake their 10-point lead, before Heck would make a spin move to send in a jumper at 4:38, making it a 54-46 contest.
With 1:03 left in the game, Butler would sink a pair of free throws to close in the Lions' 59-52 lead, but LMU's Young would find an open look to score a basket from downtown to seal the Loyola Marymount's victory.
For the Redhawks, Butler also scored in double figures. She had 13 points, along with four assists. Loyola Marymount was led by Young, who had a game-leading 22 points, behind three three-points and a perfect 3-for-3 evening from the line.
Seattle U will look to bounce back in their concluding game at State Farm Holiday Hoops Classic on Thursday, Dec. 30, in a 7 p.m. game versus Gonzaga (10-4). Gonzaga fell to No. 16 Notre Dame, 70-61. UND will take on LMU at 4:30, to open up day two action prior to the SU-GU game. Both games will be played at KeyArena.