BIG CHALLENGE: Seattle University welcomes BYU to the Connolly Center this Wednesday, Jan. 25, for a 7 p.m. contest. With the Cougars entering the AP Top 25 poll this week at #23, this will be the first time the Redhawks are hosting a ranked opponent at the Connolly Center since the start of the reclassification process towards Division I membership. This is an important game for both teams' postseason chances.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
- G: #1 Sylvia Shephard - 5-10 - So. - 6.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 spg
- G: #5 Elle Kerfoot - 5-7 - Sr. - 8.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.1 apg
- G: #11 Talisa Rhea - 5-11 - Sr. - 14.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.7 apg
- F: #14 Ashley Ward - 5-11 - So. - 11.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 86.3% FT
- C: #41 Kacie Sowell - 6-2 - So. - 13.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 61.0% FG
THE UC IRVINE GAME: Four players scored in double figures as Seattle University controlled all aspects of the game in a convincing 86-58 victory over UC Irvine Sunday afternoon at the Bren Events Center. Ashley Ward returned to her hometown and led the Redhawks with 20 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-3 from behind the three-point line, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Kacie Sowell was 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free throw line for a 15-point, seven-rebound performance, and Talisa Rhea contributed 13 points and a game-high nine assists. The Redhawk bench made a significant contribution, led by Daidra Brown with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, and Brenda Adhiambo with nine points and eight rebounds. Seattle U shot 55 percent (33-of-60) from the field, including 6-of-15 from behind the three-point line, and 77.8 percent (14-of-18) from the free throw line. The Anteaters shot only 34.4 percent (22-of-64) from the field, were outrebounded by the Redhawks, 41-32, and committed 19 turnovers that led to 28 Redhawk points.
SCOUTING BYU: The Cougars come into Wednesday's game with an 18-3 overall record, including seven victories in a row. After convincing victories at Loyola Marymount and against Portland, BYU is in the AP Top 25 poll this week at #23. The Cougars's only losses this season have come against Duke, at Kansas State, and at Saint Mary's. BYU is scoring 72.9 points per game and giving up 56.3 points per contest. As a team, the Cougars are shooting 45.0 percent from the field, including 35.8 percent from behind the three-point line, and 72.6 percent from the free throw line. Seven players average at least 6.5 points per game, but no more than 10.9 points per contest. Lexi Eaton leads the way at 10.9 points per game, followed by Kim Parker at 10.7 points per game and Kristen Riley at 10.6 points per game along with a team-high 6.9 rebounds per contest. Haley Steed is averaging 8.3 points per game, plus she leads the team with 7.0 assists per contest. Dani Peterson, the other player who has started all 21 games so far this season for BYU, contributes 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, plus she is shooting 59.4 percent from the field. This is the first meeting all-time between Seattle U and BYU.
SEEING DOUBLE: Kacie Sowell has scored in double figures in every game so far this season. Sowell has notched nine double-doubles through the first 20 games of the 2011-12 campaign, tied for 17th in the country in double-doubles. Talisa Rhea has reached double figures in scoring in 17 games, including 14 of the last 15 contests. Rhea is the only other player on the Seattle U roster to notch a double-double this season, as she has two, including one Jan. 14 against Chicago State that featured 11 points and 11 assists. Ashley Ward has reached double figures in 11 games so far this season, including back-to-back career performances of 20 points.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Kacie Sowell is fifth in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting 61.0 percent of her field goal attempts. By hitting 86.3 percent of her free throw attempts, Ashley Ward is 36th in Division I in free throw percentage, while Talisa Rhea is 19th in the country in assists per game (5.7).
THREE-POINT QUEEN: With a three-pointer in the first minute of the second half Jan. 14 against Chicago State, Elle Kerfoot became Seattle University's all-time leader in made three-pointers, passing the previous mark of 168 set by Ashley Payne from 2003 to 2007. Currently with 173 made three-pointers over the past four seasons, Kerfoot has also passed Payne for second place on the all-time list for three-pointers attempted. Kerfoot needs 30 points to become the 11th player in program history to score 1,000 career points.