Cervante Burrell (Sacramento, Calif.) scored a season-high 24 points and Seattle University held Arkansas State to 37.5 percent shooting from the field as the Redhawks won their third straight home game with a 75-69 victory Saturday night at KeyArena.
Burrell shot 9-of-13 from the field, including his first three-pointer of the season, and 5-of-7 from the free throw line for his 24 points, just two short of his career high, plus he dished out six assists and picked up two steals. Three Redhawks contributed 10 points apiece: Aaron Broussard (Federal Way, Wash.), Sterling Carter (Seattle, Wash.), and Louis Green (Westchester, Ill.), who also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
"I felt like we would have a better showing against them (Arkansas State) this time," Seattle U head coach Cameron Dollar said. "Cervante had a great game, as he was aggressive from the start and kept that up all the way through. Defensively as a team, we did a better job on their big guy (Kirkland). I am proud of how my guys played tonight."
Clarence Trent (Tacoma, Wash.) scored the first five points of the game and Eric Wallace (Winston-Salem, N.C.) followed with the next three as Seattle U opened an 8-0 lead in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the game. Arkansas State cut its deficit to three, but a rebound and jumper by Burrell, followed by two free throws from Green and a jumper by Broussard, extended the Redhawks' advantage to 24-15 with nine minutes left in the first half.
Arkansas State (10-15) went on a 9-2 run over the next two minutes, punctuated by a three-pointer from Adam Sterrenberg, to pull to within two at 26-24, but the Redhawks responded with a 13-4 scoring run to extend the lead into double digits at 41-30. The Red Wolves scored the next six points, but Burrell hit his three-pointer as time expired to give Seattle U a 46-36 advantage at halftime.
After Trent hit the first bucket of the second half, Sterrenberg hit a three-pointer to start an 8-0 run by the Red Wolves that brought them to within four at 48-44, but Carter scored five straight points to halt that rally. Seattle U was able to keep Arkansas State at arm's length the rest of the way, as the visitors could only cut their deficit to four late in the game.
Seattle U shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field and won the rebounding battle, 38-28. The Red Wolves were able to stay in the game thanks to hitting 92.0 percent (23-of-25) of their free throw attempts and committing only 10 turnovers.
Malcoln Kirkland led Arkansas State with 14 points, with Sterrenberg collecting 13 points and Brandon Peterson earning 10 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and three blocked shots. Already at less than full strength, the Red Wolves suffered another blow when Ed Townsel, who scored eight points in 10 minutes of action in the first half, left the game with an apparent shoulder injury and did not return.
Seattle University (6-13) faces the Idaho Vandals in Moscow, Idaho, Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m., followed by a game at Longwood University Saturday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. local time (11 a.m. Pacific time). The Redhawks will begin a three-game homestand Valentine's Day, as Northwest University makes the short trip to KeyArena Tuesday, Feb. 14, for a 7:10 p.m. tipoff.