REDHAWKS FACE NO. 2 STANFORD: Seattle University heads to Palo Alto, Calif. for what will prove to be their toughest challenge yet this season, as they face No. 2 Stanford on their home court. The Redhawks are riding a five-game winning streak, their longest winning streak of the season, and a four-game road winning streak. This will be the first matchup between the Cardinal and the Redhawks.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Seattle University
G: #1 Sylvia Shephard - 5-10 - So.
G: #5 Elle Kerfoot - 5-7 - Sr.
G: #11 Talisa Rhea - 5-11 - Sr.
F: #14 Ashley Ward - 5-11 - So.
C: #41 Kacie Sowell - 6-2 - So.
THE UC RIVERSIDE GAME: The Redhawks returned home looking for the fifth straight win of the season and were successful, topping UC Riverside, 64-42. Kacie Sowell notched her 13th double-double of the season and two other Redhawks scored in double figures. The Redhawks went up, 8-2, after a three-pointer by Elle Kerfoot with 14:55 left in the first half, but the Highlanders kept the margin close throughout the first half, down by 10, 28-18, at the half. Coming out of the halftime break, the Redhawks went on a 12-4 lead before the first media timeout with 15:27 left in the game. Seattle U led by as much as 27 and came away with a 22-point victory. Talisa Rhea led all players with 14 points and added five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Ashley Ward added 12 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and four steals. Sowell scored 10 points and brought down 14 rebounds. As a team, the Redhawks shot 36.8 percent from the field and 64.3 percent from the free-throw line. Seattle U held UC Riverside to just 33.3 percent in field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage. The Redhawks outrebounded the Highlanders 51-36.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM BANQUET SET FOR MONDAY, MARCH 12: Fans are invited to join the women's basketball team and coaching staff for a team banquet on Monday, Mar. 12, as they celebrate the success of the team and the accomplishments of the student-athletes this season. The banquet will take place at the Space Needle Lower Level Banquet Room and dress is business casual. At 5:30 p.m., there will be no-host cocktails and the dinner and program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45.00 per person and a table of eight can be purchased for $320. The opportunity is also available to sponsor a player for $45.00 per player. As a special addition, head coach Joan Bonvicini will also announce the Redhawks' postseason destiny as part of the evening's festivities. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by Thursday, Mar. 8, to Greg Sempadian at sempadig@seattleu.edu or (206) 398-4420. There will also be a link to register at www.GoSeattleU.com and a table will be set up through halftime at the Senior Day game on Saturday, Mar. 3, for attendees to register.
SCOUTING STANFORD: The Stanford Cardinal enter Wednesday's game with a 26-1 record and are ranked No. 2 in the country in the NCAA Women's Basketball AP Top 25. The team's only loss was Nov. 21 at then-No. 4 Connecticut, 68-58. As a team, the Cardinal are scoring 77.6 ppg and holding their opponents to 54.7 ppg. Stanford is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, including 30.8 percent from behind the three-point line, and 74.8 percent from the free throw line. Nnemkadi Ogwumike leads the team with 21.7 ppg and 10.5 rpg. Ogwumike is shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 81.9 percent from the free-throw line this season. Chiney Ogwumike ranks second on the team with 16.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg, and leads the team in blocks (32).
SEATTLE U VS. STANFORD: This is the first time the Redhawks have faced the Stanford Cardinal in team history.
HONORS: College Sports Madness has named a Seattle U player the Independent Player of the Week nine times this season. Sophomore Kacie Sowell has picked up the honor five times: Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Jan. 3, Feb. 6, and Feb. 27. Talisa Rhea has been a weekly honoree on Dec. 12, Dec. 19, and Feb. 20 and Sylvia Shephard received the honor Feb. 13. All three have also been named to the Jesuit Honor Roll by Jesuit Basketball Spotlight. Rhea picked up the honor Dec. 19 after the Redhawks' victory over fellow Jesuit school Santa Clara, Sowell earned the honor Jan. 3 after her MVP performance in the Holiday Hoops Tournament, and Shepherd earned the honor Feb. 13 after her career high 23 points and 13 rebounds at Portland State.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Kacie Sowell is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting 59.1 percent of her field goal attempts. By hitting 86.0 percent of her free throw attempts, Ashley Ward is 25th in Division I in free throw percentage, while Talisa Rhea is 27th in the country in assists per game (5.3).
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 (184), passing the previous mark of 168 set by Ashley Payne from 2003 to 2007. On Feb. 9 at Portland State, Kerfoot became the 11th player in program history to score 1,000 career points.