ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After eight days off, Seattle University heads to Portland to face the Vikings, who are also having a successful 2011-12 campaign. This will be the first time Seattle U faces Portland State since the 2008-09 season. The Redhawks look to extend their road win streak to three games, after battling to beat UW-Milwaukee on their home court last week and defeating UC Irvine in Irvine near the end of January.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
Guard: #1 Sylvia Shephard - 5-10 - So.
Guard: #5 Elle Kerfoot - 5-7 - Sr.
Guard: #11 Talisa Rhea - 5-11 - Sr.
Forward: #14 Ashley Ward - 5-11 - So.
Center: #41 Kacie Sowell - 6-2 - So.
THE UW-MILWAUKEE GAME: Despite letting the Panthers stay in the game up until near the end, the Redhawks were able to come away with a 63-56 victory on the road at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee, Wisc. Kacie Sowell led all players with 18 points and nine rebounds, one rebound away from her 11th double-double of the season, to help lead the team to their second straight road victory. Ashley Ward added 14 points and five rebounds, and Talisa Rhea added 10 points, a team-leading five assists, and a block. As a team, Seattle U shot 42.6 percent (20-of-47) from the field and 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) from the free-throw line. UW-Milwaukee shot only 33.9 percent (19-of-56) from the field. Despite Seattle U's fantastic free-throw percentage, the Panthers shot 12-for-14 (85.7 percent) from the free-throw line. The Redhawks won the rebounding battle, 37-32, as well as defensive rebounds, 29-24 and tied UW-Milwaukee in both assists (11) and offensive boards (8).
SCOUTING PORTLAND STATE: The Vikings come into Thursday's game with a 13-9 record, the same as the Redhawks. Last week, Portland State won both games at home, defeating Weber State, 76-63, and Northern Arizona, 73-59. Portland State is scoring 70.0 points per game and giving up 68.5 points her contest. As a team, the Vikings are shooting 40.1 percent from the field, including 35.0 percent from behind the three-point line, and 81.0 percent from the free-throw line. Kate Lanz leads the team in scoring with 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Shauneice Samms leads the team with 20 blocked shots this season. Courtney VanBrocklin is contributing 13.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while Eryn Jones is averaging 13.2 points per game, thanks in part to 58 made three-pointers, and a team-leading 94 assists.
SEATTLE U VS. PORTLAND STATE: This is the first time during the Joan Bonvicini era that Seattle U has faced Portland State. Seattle University is 3-4 all-time versus Portland State. The two teams last met on Dec. 5, 2008 in Portland as the Vikings won, 86-75. Four players finished with double-digit scoring figures for the Redhawks, including Chelsie Morrison who led the team with 13 points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Morrison shot 6-for-16 from the field. Maggie McCarthy, the only player on the current active roster to play in that game, finished with five points and two rebounds.
SEEING DOUBLE: Kacie Sowell has notched 10 double-doubles through the first 22 games of the 2011-12 campaign, tied for 15th in the country in double-doubles. Talisa Rhea has reached double figures in scoring in 19 games, including 16 of the last 17 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 13 games so far this season, including back-to-back career performances of 20 points at Pacific and at UC Irvine.
HONORS: College Sports Madness has named a Seattle University player the Independent Player of the Week six times this season. Sophomore Kacie Sowell has picked up the honor four times: Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Jan. 3, and Feb. 6. 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 fifth in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting 59.8 percent of her field goal attempts. By hitting 86.3 percent of her free throw attempts, Ashley Ward is 29th in Division I in free throw percentage, while Talisa Rhea is tied for 23rd in the country in assists per game (5.5).
THREE-POINT QUEEN: With a three-pointer in the first minute of the second half Jan. 14 against Chicago State, Elle Kerfoot became Seattle U's all-time leader in made three-pointers, passing the previous mark of 168 set by Ashley Payne from 2003 to 2007. Currently with 177 made three-pointers over the past four seasons, Kerfoot needs 14 points to become the 11th player in program history to score 1,000 career points.