HAPPY NEW YEAR: Seattle University begins the 2012 portion of the schedule Thursday night with a road game at Idaho. The Redhawks won their holiday tournament last week with victories over Saint Francis and Eastern Michigan. After playing just three of its first 14 games on the road, Seattle U will have nine road games over the final 15 games of the regular season. The Redhawks look to give a preview to their future conference foes of what they are capable of.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
- G: #1 Sylvia Shephard - 5-10 - So. - 5.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 spg
- G: #5 Elle Kerfoot - 5-7 - Sr. - 9.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.2 apg
- G: #11 Talisa Rhea - 5-11 - Sr. - 13.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.6 apg
- F: #14 Ashley Ward - 5-11 - So. - 10.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 88.9% FT
- C: #41 Kacie Sowell - 6-2 - So. - 13.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 61.5% FG
WDS HOLIDAY HOOPS TOURNAMENT: Both Seattle U games followed a similar pattern, with the Redhawks taking the lead, their opponents coming back in the second half and eventually pulling ahead late, with Seattle U scoring the winning points in the final minute. Last Thursday, Seattle U went on a 14-1 scoring run in the first half to take a 27-19 advantage, but Saint Francis would come back in the second half. The Red Flash took a one-point lead with 43 seconds left, but a drive and layup off the glass by Talisa Rhea with 19 seconds left put the Redhawks back on top. Sylvia Shephard would intercept an attempted pass by Saint Francis, draw a foul, and make both free throws to seal the victory. The next day, Seattle U was ahead by eight with 12 minutes left in regulation before Eastern Michigan scored 12 unanswered points to take the lead. Down by two, Seattle U benefitted when Ashley Ward drew a foul while attempting a three-point shot. Ward made all three free throws to put the Redhawks ahead, and Shephard again sealed the game with two free throws with seven seconds remaining.
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Vandals come into Thursday's game with a 5-10 overall record after losing to North Dakota Tuesday, 78-68. Idaho is scoring 59.1 points per game and giving up 65.7 points per contest. As a team, the Vandals are shooting 36.6 percent from the field, including 26.5 percent from behind the three-point line, and 66.0 percent from the free throw line. Alyssa Charlston is the team leader in scoring and rebounding with 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Ganeaya Rogers is also averaging in double figures with 10.1 points per game.
SEATTLE U VS. IDAHO: This is the sixth meeting all-time between Seattle U and Idaho, with the Vandals holding a 3-2 series advantage. These two teams first met in Seattle Jan. 7, 1981, with Seattle U squeaking by with a 76-75 victory. Idaho gained a measure of revenge during the 1981 AIAW playoffs, defeating Seattle U on March 13, 1981, in Billings, Mont., 89-78. Idaho swept the season series in the 1981-82 season, winning in Seattle on Jan. 29, 1982, 89-57, and in Moscow on March 6, 1982, 81-60. These teams did not meet again until last season, a 62-43 victory for Seattle U at the Connolly Center on Dec. 11, 2010. Elle Kerfoot led the Redhawks with 18 points, while Daidra Brown contributed 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and eight steals.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Kacie Sowell was named MVP of the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament after notching back-to-back double-double performances. She finished with 17 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against Saint Francis, and followed that with a 14-point, 10-rebound performance against Eastern Michigan. Talisa Rhea was also named to the All-Tournament Team, averaging 18.5 points and 6.0 assists per game in the Redhawk victories. Rhea pulled ahead of Sowell in the battle for the team lead in scoring, with Rhea now averaging 13.9 points per game and Sowell averaging 13.6 points per game.
JOINING THE WAC: Seattle University is in its final year as a Division I independent before officially joining the Western Athletic Conference July 1, 2012. The Redhawks will be part of the WAC in 17 of the 19 sports offered at Seattle U, with men's soccer and men's swimming staying in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. As of right now, Seattle U will face the following schools in conference play beginning next season: Denver, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Texas-Arlington, Texas-San Antonio, Texas State, and Utah State. Boise State will be rejoining the WAC as a non-football member in July 2013.
HONORS: College Sports Madness has named a Seattle University player the Independent Player of the Week five times this season. Sophomore Kacie Sowell has picked up the honor three times: Nov. 28, Dec. 5, and Jan. 3. Talisa Rhea followed Sowell as a weekly honoree Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. Both Rhea and Sowell have also been named to the Jesuit Honor Roll by Jesuit Basketball Spotlight. Rhea picked up the recognition Dec. 19 after the Redhawks' victory over fellow Jesuit school Santa Clara, while Sowell earned the honor this past Tuesday, Jan. 3, after her MVP performance in the Holiday Hoops Tournament.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Kacie Sowell is currently sixth in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting 61.5 percent of her field goal attempts. By hitting 88.9 percent of her free throw attempts, Ashley Ward is 21st in Division I in free throw percentage, while Talisa Rhea is tied for 24th in the country in assists per game (5.6).
GETTING CLOSER: With four three-pointers against Eastern Michigan last Friday, Elle Kerfoot is six away from Seattle U's career record for made three-pointers, currently held by Ashley Payne with 168. Kerfoot is also 78 points away from becoming the 11th player in Seattle U women's basketball history to score at least 1,000 points in a career.
SEATTLE U THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENT: Senior Elle Kerfoot and sophomore Ashley Ward were named to the All-Seattle U Thanksgiving Tournament Team for their contributions in the two-day tourney. Ward tallied 14 points in each game over the weekend, while Kerfoot posted a season-high 19 points on Nov. 25 against USF. For the second consecutive season, the Redhawks fell in the championship game of their annual Thanksgiving tournament.
REDHAWKS SIGN THREE TO NLIs: Seattle U signed three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. Joining the Redhawks for the 2012-13 campaign are: Catherine "Cat" Perez (Palo Alto, Calif.), Taelor Ross (Portland, Ore.), and Kristin Stoffel (Everett, Wash.). The incoming class of 2016 boasts a trio of versatile players who are all over six feet tall.
ROSTER UPDATE: Monique Abbs has transferred to South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. It was a mutual decision between Monique and Coach Bonvicini, and Coach Bonvicini wishes Monique the best of luck at her new school. Meanwhile, Carley Butcher and Kim Flournoy will miss the 2011-12 season due to injury.