The Seattle University men's basketball team played another close game, but for the second time this season Texas State was able to pull ahead at the end to defeat the Redhawks, 67-65, Thursday night in Western Athletic Conference action at Strahan Coliseum.
After hitting a three-pointer at the end of the first half, Chad Rasmussen (University Place, Wash.) hit another long distance shot one minute into the second half, and Allen Tate (Hobbs, N.M.) scored four straight points to put Seattle U ahead, 45-39. Texas State scored six straight points to tie the game, but Tate would continue his career scoring night with two more baskets to help the Redhawks retake the lead, 51-47.
Vonn Jones earned a steal and a layup to tie the game at 51-51 halfway through the second half, but jumpers by Prince Obasi (Reseda, Calif.) and Tate reestablished a four-point lead for Seattle U. Deonte' Jones answered with a three-pointer, and Vonn Jones would follow with another steal and layup to put the Bobcats ahead, 56-55, with 4:49 remaining in regulation.
Deshaun Sunderhaus (Conyers, Ga.) hit two free throws to allow the Redhawks to retake the lead, but Texas State would go ahead for good on a layup by Deonte' Jones and a three-pointer from Reid Koenen. Rasmussen hit a three-pointer to cut the Bobcat lead to two in the final minute, and Texas State would keep Seattle U in the game by hitting just 2-of-4 free throw attempts.
Another three-pointer by Rasmussen with 15 seconds left cut the Redhawk deficit to one, but a traditional three-point play by Texas State made it a two-possession game once again. After Louis Green (Westchester, Ill.) made a basket, David Trimble (Yakima, Wash.) tied up Joel Wright, and the possession arrow favored the Redhawks, giving Seattle U one last chance. Rasmussen got a good look at a long three-point attempt, but the shot hit the front rim and bounced off as the buzzer sounded.
Rasmussen led all players with 18 points, while Tate shot 7-of-11 from the field for a career-high 14 points. For the second time against the Bobcats and the third time this season, Obasi dished out 11 assists, this time also scoring 11 points. Sunderhaus finished with nine points and six rebounds before fouling out, and Green contributed eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Wright and Deonte' Jones led Texas State with 16 points apiece, with Wright also pulling down seven rebounds. Staff finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and three blocked shots, and Koenen added 12 points and five rebounds to the winning effort.
The game started off with Texas State's Matt Staff and Obasi trading three-point baskets, but Staff would score five straight points and Wright would hit a three-pointer to put the Bobcats ahead, 11-7. Seattle U went on a 12-1 scoring run over the next four-and-a-half minutes, the final seven points provided by Sunderhaus to pull ahead, 19-12.
Texas State (9-19, 4-11) would go on an 8-2 scoring run, bookmarked by three-pointers from Deonte' Jones, to pull to within one at 23-22. The two teams traded baskets during the final nine minutes of the first half, with Rasmussen's three-pointer with 24 seconds left in the half giving Seattle U a 38-37 lead at halftime.
After shooting 61.5 percent from the field in the first half, including 6-of-10 from behind the three-point line, Seattle U was just 11-of-30 from the field after halftime. Despite outrebounding Texas State, 37-28, the Redhawks went to the free throw line only three times, making two of the attempts, and committed 19 turnovers that led to 24 Bobcat points.
Seattle University (7-19, 2-14 WAC) makes the short drive to San Antonio, Texas, to prepare for Saturday's game against the UTSA Roadrunners starting at 6 p.m. Central time (4 p.m. Pacific time). Dave Grosby and Gary Hill Jr. will broadcast the game live on 770 AM KTTH The Truth starting with the pregame show at 3:45 p.m.