HONORING A LEGEND: Seattle University looks to maintain its perfect record in the Elgin Baylor Classic as the Redhawks welcome Coppin State, Nebraska Omaha, and San Jose State to KeyArena for the annual event. After two years as a single-day, single-game happening, the Classic returns to the four-team, two-day format it featured from 2004 to 2008. Elgin Baylor will be on hand to watch both days of the tournament that bears his name.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
- Guard: #0 Prince Obasi - 6-2, 205 - Jr.
- Guard: #10 Sterling Carter - 6-0, 200 - So.
- Forward: #2 Aaron Broussard - 6-5, 225 - Sr.
- Forward: #12 Clarence Trent - 6-6, 225 - So.
- Forward: #25 Eric Wallace - 6-7, 233 - Sr.
THE VIRGINIA GAME: After taking the early lead, Seattle University fell behind in the second half, but the Redhawks put together an exciting comeback that fell just short as 24th-ranked Virginia held on for an 83-77 victory last Wednesday night at KeyArena. Aaron Broussard shot 12-of-17 from the field on his way to a career-high 29 points, plus he pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, including six offensive boards. Sterling Carter hit four three-pointers to finish with 17 points and six rebounds, and Clarence Trent contributed 12 points. After a three-pointer by Trent lengthened the Redhawk lead to eight at 32-24, Virginia went on a 12-4 scoring run over the next five minutes to pull into a 36-36 tie. Virginia took the lead in the second half thanks to a 12-0 scoring run over a four-minute span, followed by a 6-0 run later in the half to give the Cavaliers their biggest lead of the game, 63-49, with 8:45 left in the game. The Redhawks responded by outscoring the Cavaliers, 19-4, over the next five minutes, with a layup by Broussard giving Seattle U a 68-67 lead. Zeglinski scored Virginia's next five points with a three-pointer and two free throws, starting a stretch in which the Cavaliers went 11-for-14 from the charity stripe in the final three minutes to hold off Seattle U's comeback.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA OMAHA: The Mavericks enter Thursday's game with a 6-8 overall record, including a 1-7 record against Division I schools as they play a mixed schedule in Year One of UNO's reclassification process. Nebraska Omaha is looking to move up to NCAA Division I status and will become a member of The Summit League as part of the move. The Mavericks are scoring 75.4 points per game and giving up 76.7 points per game. As a team, UNO is shooting 48.0 percent from the field, including 34.1 percent from behind the three-point line, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line. Mitch Albers leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 points per game, plus he is shooting 50 percent from the field. John Karhoff is contributing 12.6 points per game, while Alex Welhouse is adding 10.1 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per contest. This is the first meeting all-time between Seattle U and Nebraska Omaha.
SCOUTING SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans come into their game against Coppin State Thursday with a 4-8 overall record, including an 0-6 record in road games. San Jose State is scoring 66.8 points per game and giving up 71.2 points per game. As a team, the Spartans are shooting 38.1 percent from the field, including 33.3 percent from behind the three-point line, and 75.3 percent from the free throw line. James Kinney leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game, while Keith Shamburger is contributing 15.1 points and 4.8 assists per game. Wil Carter is scoring 10.2 points per game as well as pulling down a team-high 6.7 rebounds per contest.
SEATTLE U VS. SAN JOSE STATE: This will be the seventh meeting all-time between Seattle U and San Jose State, with the Spartans holding a 4-2 series advantage. These teams first met during the 1947-48 season, with San Jose State winning both games in Seattle, 52-33 and 59-39, on Dec. 19-20, 1947. The two teams played back-to-back again in Seattle on Dec. 2-3, 1955, with San Jose State winning the first game, 65-59, before Seattle U broke through for a 62-46 victory. It was almost 55 years before the next meeting, the first one between the two teams in San Jose. Taylor Olson hit a three-pointer as time wound down to give the Redhawks a 90-88 victory over the Spartans Feb. 22, 2010. San Jose State came to KeyArena last season and won, 86-70.
IT STARTS WITH AB: After passing the 1,000-point mark Nov. 22 at Montana State, senior Aaron Broussard is working his way up the Seattle U all-time scoring list. He currently has 1,122 career points, passing Chris Gweth for 26th on the all-time scoring list. Broussard also has 134 career steals, passing Eric Briggs for eighth place on the career steals list. Broussard was named to the Jesuit Honor Roll by the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight this week after his 29-point performance against Virginia, and he maintained his spot on the CollegeHoops.net All-Independent Team with his work through the first ten games of the season.