The Seattle University men's basketball team attempted to come from behind, but the play of local product Michael Hale III pushed UTSA to a 78-75 victory over the Redhawks Thursday night in Western Athletic Conference action at KeyArena at Seattle Center.
Hale scored six of UTSA's first seven points as the Roadrunners immediately took the lead. Kannon Burrage scored 12 straight Roadrunner points as UTSA went on a 14-2 run to pull ahead, 23-10, with 12:27 remaining in the first half.
Down by 14 with seven-and-a-half minutes left in the first half, Seattle U went on a 14-4 scoring, punctuated by back-to-back three-pointers by Jarell Flora (Bremerton, Wash.), to close to within four at 33-29 late in the opening half. Hale scored the final nine UTSA points of the first half as the Roadrunners held a 38-31 lead at halftime.
UTSA (5-13, 1-7 WAC) increased its lead to 12 at 58-46 with 11:50 left in the second half before the Redhawks increased the defensive pressure and scored nine unanswered points in the next two minutes to pull to within three at 58-55. After a three-pointer by Jordan Sims extended the Roadrunners' lead to 63-57, Seattle U went on an 8-2 scoring run, with D'Vonne Pickett Jr. (Seattle, Wash.) hitting a layup to tie the game at 65-65 with six minutes remaining in regulation.
Burrage and Hale hit two free throws apiece, but a free throw by Pickett followed by two from Allen Tate (Hobbs, N.M.) pulled the Redhawks to within one at 69-68 with 3:10 left in the second half. Hale went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the next two-and-a-half minutes to give UTSA breathing room, while Seattle U was hurt by turnovers, missed free throws, and missed field goal opportunities.
Seattle U was led by Deshaun Sunderhaus (Conyers, Ga.) with 16 points and three blocked shots, while Pickett finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Flora hit a career-high four three-pointers to contribute 12 points off the bench, Clarence Trent (Tacoma, Wash.) led the team with eight rebounds to go along with nine points, and Prince Obasi (Reseda, Calif.) added eight points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Hale, a native of nearby Federal Way, Wash., finished with a career-high 35 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 16-of-17 shooting from the free throw line. Burrage collected 19 points, and Hyjii Thomas added 12 points to the winning effort.
"We had our chances, but it was one of those nights where we could not put the ball in the hole, nor could we get it to the hole," Seattle U head coach Cameron Dollar said. "We committed too many turnovers, and when we made good defensive plays, we came up empty too many times on the other end. I give them (UTSA) credit for hanging in there and finishing."
The Redhawks shot 44.4 percent (28-of-63) from the field, including 5-of-21 from behind the three-point line, and 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from the free throw line. Seattle U won the rebounding battle, 43-34, but committed 20 turnovers, leading to 26 UTSA points. The Roadrunners shot 42.9 percent (24-of-56) from the field, including 8-of-22 from behind the three-point line, and 68.8 percent (22-of-32) from the free throw line.
Seattle University (6-12, 1-7 WAC) looks to break through with its first home conference win Saturday, Jan. 26, against Texas State starting at 7 p.m. at KeyArena. The Bobcats defeated the Idaho Vandals in Moscow, Idaho, Thursday night, 78-73, to improve to 2-6 in the conference.