Senior Salena Dickerson's (Federal Way, Wash.) hot hand and defensive awareness guided the Seattle University women's basketball team to a 62-50 victory over Navy Saturday evening in the Connolly Center. The Redhawks were able to start off the New Year on a positive note and snap a four-game losing skid.
Dickerson was an all-around dominate leader for SU, scoring a game-leading 22 points. She was 8-for-11 from the field and was the team's top rebounder with seven boards. Her double figure scoring would be the 10th time she reached such a feat in 16 games this season.
"I thought Salena from the very beginning (was able to get) some key three-pointers," said head coach Joan Bonvicini about starting off with a strong offensive presence. "We (also) showed poise down the stretch and got to the free throw line."
The Redhawks shot 61.1 percent (11-for-18) from the charity stripe in the game.
"I think our team is really starting to gel .. and our shooting percentage has gone up significantly the last couple games," Bonvicini commented on SU's season-long progression.
The Redhawks shot for over 50 percent for the second consecutive contest, going 23-for-45 from the field (51.1 percent), while holding Navy to 33.9 percent (19-for-56). The squad outrebounded USNA 36 to 32, making 11 second chance points.
Carley Butcher (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) and Dickerson and would take control of the game early, guiding SU on a 10-5 run in the first six minutes of action.
Dickerson would provide veteran leadership on both the offensive and defensive ends. She would tally 11 of Seattle U's 15 points nearly nine minutes into the game. Behind Dickerson's sharp shooting and all around defensive prowess, the Redhawks held the Midshipmen off the board for almost six minutes of first half action.
Freshman Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.), who made her first career start, provided additional height for the Redhawks at the post position. She would put together a pair of lane drives to help SU hold onto a double digit advantage going inside the six-minute mark.
With less than three minutes in the first half, Navy would begin to find their offensive flow and go on a 7-0 run to make it a 24-20 contest. Consecutive Redhawk turnovers would allow the Mids to go on come-from-behind run, but Butcher would add to SU's point cushion with a 10 foot jumper.
As the one-minute mark hit, Amani Butler (Corona, Calif.) would sub in and make a three-point play, but USNA would counter with a trey from Cassie Consedine.
After holding onto a 12-point lead at 8:47, Navy would claw their way back to go into the break down by four, 29-25.
The Midshipmen opened the second half with back-to-back layins off SU turnovers. Navy would then take their first lead of the game off a three-pointer from Consedine at 17:42, 32-29.
Cosedine would go onto score 12 points, including scoring four three-pointers, to lead USNA's offensive attack.
Butler would score the Redhawks first points of the second half, putting up a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game heading inside 17 minutes.
Consedine would counter by adding another basket from downtown to add to Navy's slowly growing point advantage, 35-31, at 16:49.
After conceding the lead, the Redhawks got things going again on the offensive end. Dickerson would put up a pair of jumpers below the basket to give SU a 38-36 lead with less than 14 minutes remaining and Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) would make it a 4-0 run, to give Seattle U a four-point cushion.
Elle Kerfoot (Surrey, B.C.) would add five consecutive points heading inside the 13-minute mark to continue to help reinvigorate the Redhawk offense.
Dickerson would reestablish Seattle U's double figure lead with less than four minutes to go, 56-45, and help her team regain control of the game tempo in the final minutes of action to close out the contest.
The Redhawks (5-11) will return to the road for their next four games, beginning with a solo stint in California. SU will travel to Bakersfield to take on the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners on Sunday, Jan. 8. First tip is slated for 2 p.m.