LONG BREAK: After a 10-day layoff, Seattle University returns home to welcome Arkansas State onto Elgin Baylor Court. This begins the final stretch for the Redhawks in which six of the last nine games are in the friendly confines of KeyArena. Seattle U is looking to avenge a 13-point loss to the Red Wolves in Jonesboro, Ark., in December. Arkansas State will see a different Seattle U team than the one that appeared in the first contest.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
- Guard: #5 Cervante Burrell - 5-10, 170 - Sr.
- 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 UC IRVINE GAME: Seattle University could not find a rhythm throughout the night, struggling on the offensive side of the court and allowing UC Irvine enough chances to give the Anteaters a 78-67 victory in men's basketball action Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. Aaron Broussard finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, but shot just 6-of-17 from the field, including 0-for-5 from behind the three-point line. Prince Obasi contributed 14 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Eric Wallace earned nine points, 10 rebounds, and seven blocked shots, the most by a Seattle U player in recent memory. Seattle U shot just 33.3 percent (23-of-69) from the field, including 6-of-17 from behind the three-point line, and committed 19 turnovers that led to 19 Anteater points. Although UC Irvine shot only 38.4 percent (28-of-73) from the field, the Anteaters pulled down 17 offensive rebounds as part of a 52-49 rebounding edge and committed only 14 turnovers during the contest.
NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Aaron Broussard is 30th in the country in scoring average at 18.5 ppg. As a team, the Redhawks are eighth in Division I in rebounding, averaging 40.5 rebounds per game.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE: The Red Wolves are 9-14 heading into a home conference game Thursday night against Louisiana-Monroe. Arkansas State has lost five of its last six games, including back-to-back losses on the road at Denver (66-52) and at North Texas (76-64) last weekend, dropping its road record to 2-9. The Red Wolves are scoring 62.3 points per game and giving up 65.2 points per contest. As a team, Arkansas State is shooting 42.5 percent from the field, including 36.4 percent from behind the three-point line, and 63.7 percent from the free throw line. Malcoln Kirkland leads the team in scoring with 12.1 points per game, thanks in part to a .557 field goal percentage. Marcus Hooten is contributing 11.7 points per game, while Brandon Peterson has collected 9.8 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Ed Townsel leads the team with 67 assists and 54 steals, and Trey Finn is scoring 9.9 points per game thanks in part to a team-high 34 made three-pointers.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: Arkansas State used the three-point shot to pull ahead in each half, and Seattle University had no answer in the second half as the Red Wolves defeated the Redhawks, 87-74, Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the ASU Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark. Aaron Broussard led Seattle U with 25 points, 19 of them coming in the first half, while Clarence Trent shot 7-of-9 from the field as part of a 16-point effort. Eric Wallace earned his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Sterling Carter hit four three-pointers, all in the second half, for 12 points of his own. Seattle U shot 41.8 percent (28-of-67) from the field, including 8-of-20 from behind the three-point line, and 10-of-15 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line. The Redhawks committed 18 turnovers in the game and lost the rebounding battle, 45-36. Ed Townsel led Arkansas State with 20 points, while both Malcoln Kirkland (18 points, 13 rebounds) and Brandon Peterson (17 points, 12 rebounds) notched double-doubles for the Red Wolves.
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 1,296 career points, currently 17th on the all-time list. The next name on the list for Broussard to pass is Carl Ervin, currently in 16th place with 1,304 career points from 1976 to 1980. Broussard also has 151 career steals, fourth place on the career steals list. Broussard was named the Jesuit Player of the Week by the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight after his all-tournament performance in the Elgin Baylor Classic. He has also been named Independent Player of the Week by College Sports Madness three times this season, including Monday after finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds against UC Irvine Jan. 24. Also this week, he was named Independent Player of the Month by College Hoops Net after averaging 20.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game in January.
RETURN TO FORM: Two Redhawks who had not played in a collegiate basketball game since the 2009-10 season are having significant impacts on this year's Seattle U squad. Sophomore Clarence Trent sat out the 2010-11 campaign after transfering from the University of Washington. This season, he is second on the team in scoring with 9.8 points per game and third in rebounding with 4.6 boards per contest. After Seattle U seemingly did not have many dunks last season, Trent has added athleticism and excitement to the program this year. He has reached double figures in scoring nine times, including 16-point efforts at Portland State and at Arkansas State as well as three 15-point performances. Eric Wallace, a senior transfer from DePaul, spent the 2010-11 season rehabbing after suffering a severe leg injury during preseason workouts. Since coming west, Wallace has averaged 9.6 points and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. He scored 19 points against Nebraska Omaha and 18 points in games at Montana State and at Utah Valley. Wallace has notched two double-doubles so far this season: 12 points and 15 rebounds against Stanford, and 12 points and 13 rebounds at Arkansas State.
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN: In less than two seasons, Sterling Carter has already moved into eighth place on Seattle U's all-time list for made three-pointers with 127. He is two behind Bernard Seals' career total of 129 made three-pointers, currently seventh-most in school history.