NEIGHBORLY COMPETITION: With the same intensity that neighbors compete against each other for the best holiday displays at this time of year, Seattle University and Idaho, schools from neighboring states, face each other on the basketball court in a Sunday matinee. These schools will be facing each other twice for the third consecutive season, and that pattern is set to continue for the forseeable future, as SU will join Idaho in the Western Athletic Conference in 2012-13.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
Seattle University
- Guard: #0 Prince Obasi - 6-2, 205 - Jr.
- Guard: #1 Allen Tate - 6-5, 205 - Jr.
- Forward: #2 Aaron Broussard - 6-5, 225 - Sr.
- Forward: #12 Clarence Trent - 6-6, 225 - So.
- Forward: #25 Eric Wallace - 6-7, 233 - Sr.
University of Idaho
- Guard: #10 Landon Tatum - 5-11, 190 - Sr.
- Guard: #34 Stephen Madison - 6-5, 215 - So.
- Guard: #35 Deremy Geiger - 5-11, 170 - Sr.
- Forward: #45 Wendell Faines - 6-8, 230 - Jr.
- Center: #33 Kyle Barone - 6-10, 225 - Jr.
THE HARVARD GAME: Seattle University fell behind midway through the first half and could not put together a significant run in the second half, as Harvard stayed undefeated with an 80-70 victory last Sunday afternoon at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge, Mass. Clarence Trent led the Redhawks with 14 points, while Aaron Broussard finished with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Seattle U shot 53.8 percent (28-of-52) from the field, but only 50 percent (9-of-18) from the free throw line while Harvard hit 29-of-36 (80.6 percent) of its attempts from the charity stripe and won the rebounding battle, 37-28, including 15 offensive boards that led to 24 second chance points. Prince Obasi, Allen Tate, and Louis Green scored eight points apiece for the Redhawks, with Tate pulling down five rebounds and Green hitting all four of his field goal attempts.
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Vandals are 4-4 going into a game at Oregon State Friday night. Idaho lost a close game to Washington State Wednesday night, 66-64. The Vandals are 1-2 so far this season on the road, with a victory at UC Davis. Idaho is scoring 71.2 points per game and giving up 67.8 points per contest. As a team, the Vandals are shooting 49.0 percent from the field, including 42.1 percent from behind the three-point line, and 64.6 percent from the free throw line. Deremy Geiger leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game, and he is one of the team's three-point threats, hitting 22-of-51 (.431) attempts from long distance so far this year. Stephen Madison is scoring 12.8 points per game, and Kyle Barone is contributing 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocked shots per game. Barone is shooting 57.6 percent from the field, and Landon Tatum paces the squad with 4.5 assists per contest.
SEATTLE U VS. IDAHO: Seattle University and Idaho are meeting for the 25th time in the history of the two basketball programs, with Seattle U holding a 14-10 series edge. These two teams first met in the 1949-50 season, with Idaho winning at home, 54-36. Idaho also won the meeting in 1951-52, also in Moscow, 74-71. The first meeting in Seattle took place in the 1959-60 season, with Seattle U earning an overtime victory, 78-77. Idaho gained revenge later that season with a 68-56 victory in Moscow. After Idaho won in 1960-61, Seattle U began a 12-game winning streak in the series with a home victory in 1961-62, followed by three wins in 1962-63 (85-71 in Portland, 77-72 in Moscow, 95-88 in Seattle). Seattle U swept home-and-home sets in 1963-64 and 1964-65, plus defeated Idaho in Moscow in 1965-66 (99-89) and in Seattle in 1966-67 (70-60). Seattle U swept Idaho in 1968-69, but Idaho would win the next five meetings. That streak started in 1985-86, continued in 1992-93 and 1993-94, and was extended further with two Idaho victories during the 2009-10 campaign. The two teams split their meetings last season, with Seattle U defeating Idaho exactly one year ago at KeyArena, 66-56, and the Vandals earning the victory in Moscow March 5, 2011, 78-69.
INSIDE THE WAC: Idaho is the first of three future Western Athletic Conference opponents Seattle U will host this season. San Jose State participates in the Elgin Baylor Classic and will face the Redhawks Friday, Dec. 30, while Utah State will make the trip to KeyArena Thursday, Jan. 19. Wednesday, it was announced that Boise State would be rejoining the WAC starting in the 2013-14 academic year.