“We were trying to utilize our strength and go inside when we could,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “I thought Ashley [Ward] played a nice game and she’s a clutch free-throw shooter. Playing the same conference opponent from last year, though they have a lot of new faces, we know the style of play so it makes a difference. This was not a pretty game but I think we’re really starting to turn the tide and find ways to win.”
The Aggies (4-11, 1-1 WAC) scored the first four points on layups by Brianna Freeman and Moriah Mack and the two teams would trade baskets over the next two minutes until Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) tied the game at eight on a layup at 14:32.
Tyler Ellis put NMSU ahead again on a layup 30 seconds later, but Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) would give the Redhawks the lead, 13-12, at 12:11 on a clutch underhand pass by Alexis Montgomery (Beaverton, Ore.).
Over the next five minutes, the teams traded the lead six times, with Ward regaining the lead for SU three different times, twice on a pair of free throws. Ward took back the Redhawk lead on a layup to lead, 19-18, at 7:37 and Sowell extended the lead on a layup, 22-18, at 5:30.
Danesia Williamson hit a three to bring New Mexico State within one, but Sowell drove in her second straight layup to re-extend the Seattle U lead to three, 24-21.
A jumper by Kristin Stoffel (Mill Creek, Wash.) and a free throw for each team would give the Redhawks a five point lead at the half, 27-22.
Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) picked up where the Redhawks left off in the first half, driving in a layup just 10 seconds into the second half to extend their lead, 29-22.
Mack and Williamson brought NMSU within two, 29-27, on a jumper and three-pointer but Seattle U started to pull away on a 12-5 run over the next five minutes to lead 41-33 at 13:21. Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) hit back-to-back three’s to cap off the run.
Ellis scored four straight on a pair of layups, but the SU senior trio combined on three straight layups to lead, 47-39, at 9:36.
On a 5-0 run jumpstarted by an Abby Scott three-pointer, NMSU came within three, 47-44, with six minutes remaining, but Sowell put SU back up by five on a layup just over a minute later.
On a 12-2 run highlighted by a Makenna Clark (Lake Tapps, Wash.) three-pointer at the three-minute mark, the Redhawks would lead by double digits, 58-48, with 55 seconds remaining.
Sasha Weber made a three-point play, as she was fouled on a layup and made the following free throw, but Clark went 1-for-2 from the line with 40 seconds remaining and Ward went 2-for-2 to close out the game as the Redhawks won, 61-51.
As a team, the Redhawks outshot the Aggies from the field (40.7-31.9 percent), from behind the three-point line (23.1-19.2 percent), and from the free-throw line (66.7-40.0 percent). SU also outrebounded NMSU, 51-35, recording a season-high team rebounding total.
Sowell, Ward, and Shephard combined for 47 points, all scoring in double figures, led by Sowell with 17 points. Ward contributed 16 while Shephard scored 14. Williamson led the Aggies with 12 points.
Prior to the contest, Shephard was honored for becoming just the 14th player in program history to pass 1000 career points last weekend, joining fellow seniors Ward and Sowell on the elite list.
Seattle U (7-9, 2-1 WAC) returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. as they host UTPA in a WAC contest. Those who wear any type of jersey to the game will be able to get a special $1 ticket at the door.