"First of all, we didn't start the game strong," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "We put ourselves in a hole and turned the ball over way too much, particularly in the first half. At the end of the first half and in the second half we were able to move the ball a lot better, but we were playing catch up the rest of the way."
Less than two minutes into the game, Tatiana Heck (Lynnwood, Wash.) came in off the bench and put up a second chance basket to get Seattle U on the board for the first time. Despite her three foot jumper, Bakersfield continued on their 11-2 tear within the first three minutes.
The Roadrunners opened the contest hot and nearly reached a double figure lead, before Seattle U would bring it within three, 13-10, at 15:41. Elle Kerfoot (Surrey, B.C.) was key in getting her squad back into the game and finding a rhythm behind six early points.
Despite Kerfoot's early efforts, CSUB's Amber Williams would guide the Roadrunner offensive efforts, scoring 10 first half points. Behind Williams, Cal State Bakersfield controlled the tempo of the game and they would see solid scoring contributions from several players to guide them to a 45.2 first half field goal shooting percentage.
Seattle U struggled offensively in the first half, putting up a low scoring output. The Redhawks shot 27.8 percent, going 10-for36 from the field. The Redhawks would have moments of offensive rhythm, but repeated missed opportunities allowed for the Roadrunners' lead to swell to 44-27 heading into halftime.
For SU, Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) made her second consecutive start at the post and would be integral in keeping the Redhawks in the game. She went on to score all of her 10 points in the first half, nearly breaking a career high.
"I was very proud of the way the freshmen played, especially Ashley and Kacie (Sowell)," commented Bonvicini. "The two of them and Amani (Butler) added offensive lifts for us."
The second half saw a rejuvenated Redhawk squad early, as they were moving the ball around well early on and Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) would put up a quick two points. Despite their early momentum, the Roadrunners would put the brakes on SU's output efforts and continue to add to their 17-point halftime lead.
With less than 11 minutes in the game, CSUB led 65-45, but the Redhawks would continue to work to claw themselves back into the game. Nearly every time they would push the ball into the paint, they would either make the jumper or be sent to the free throw line.
Carley Butcher (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) would make her three-point play with less than nine minutes to go, breaking Seattle U inside the 20-point deficit mark, 68-49.
Salena Dickerson (Federal Way, Wash.) and Amani Butler (Corona, Calif.) would continue to give Seattle U life late in the game. At 6:42, Dickerson would make a second chance basket and was fouled on the play. She'd send in her free throw shot, making it a 71-57 contest.
Despite their best efforts, the combination of Bakersfield's leading scorer Williams and Britney McGee, who had 18 points in the contest, would continue to preserve a double figure Roadrunner point advantage.
Seattle U would continue to fight heading into the three-minute mark. At 2:48, down 76-61, Daidra Brown (Seattle, Wash.) would feed the ball into Sowell would answer with a jumper at the post making it a 13-point contest.
Down by 13 with less than three minutes to go, would be the closest the Redhawks would be able to get to closing in on the Roadrunners lead, as CSUB's Williams would close out the contest with a game-leading 20 points.
In the game, five Redhawks scored in double figures. Sowell led the way with 12 points and eight rebounds. Both Butler and Dickerson had 11 points, and Kerfoot and Ward rounded out the top scorers with 10 points apiece.
CSUB outshot SU 40.6 percent (26-for-48) to 33.3 percent (23-for-69) from the field. The Redhawks did significantly outrebound the Roadrunners 55 to 35.
Both teams will meet again on Saturday, Feb. 12. Prior to hosting CSUB in Seattle, the Redhawks (5-12) will remain on the road heading to Utah Valley on Saturday, Jan. 15, for a 3 p.m. MST matchup.