“We executed our game plan and really wanted to play good defense on these guys,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “They hit three’s but they’re really a penetration team. I thought we did an outstanding job on team defense and I’m really proud of our team. We got to the free throw line a lot and used our size and we were really aggressive.”
Batabe Zempare gained the early lead for Bakersfield on a layup at 19:24 and would lead, 6-3, at 18:07, but Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) would tie the game at six on a free throw shot at 15:56.
The Redhawks would gain a four point edge by 14:04 on back-to-back layups by Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) and Kristin Stoffel (Mill Creek, Wash.) but Tyonna Outland and Shaquita Smith would hit back-to-back jumpers to retie the lead at 10.
SU earned a five-point lead and would remain on top by four, 17-13, at 10:43 as Shephard and Ward combined to go 4-for-4 from the line.
Over the next three minutes, the Roadrunners would go on a 10-0 run to gain the lead, 23-17, their largest lead of the half, at 7:28. Brooklynn Hinkens scored eight of CSUB’s 10 points on the run.
Seattle U fought back with an 18-2 run over the next seven minutes to finish the half, jumpstarted by four straight successful trips to the line for the Redhawks. Stoffel added a jumper at 3:35, sandwiched by a pair of layups by Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) while Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) and Alexis Montgomery (Beaverton, Ore.) would finish the half with a pair of layups as SU led, 35-25, at half.
The Redhawks started where they left off with a 7-0 run to open the second half and lead, 42-25, after three straight layups by Afunugo. Bakersfield went on a 7-3 run over the next two minutes after another Afunugo layup but the Redhawks remained in the lead, 45-32, at 14:42.
Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.) put the Redhawks ahead by 15, 47-32, at 14:05 before the Roadrunners hit three straight as SU led by nine, 47-38, by the 11 minute mark.
A layup by Makenna Clark (Lake Tapps, Wash.) would regain a double digit lead for Seattle U, 52-41, at 9:03 and they would build the lead to as many as 18, 64-46, at the 6:10 mark. Leading by 15, 67-52, after Sowell’s first career three-pointer, Ward would go 1-for-2 from the line before Bakersfield opened up with a 12-1 run to trail by just four, 68-64, with a minute remaining.
Sowell added a layup and Clark sealed the deal with a pair of free throws as the Roadrunners went 0-for-2 to end the game and Seattle U came away with a 74-67 win.
Five different Redhawks scored in double figures, led by Sowell with 14 points and 12 rebounds, good for her ninth double-double of the season. Shephard recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Ward (13 pts), Afunugo (12 pts), and Clark (10 pts) also added double scoring figures for SU. Outland led the Roadrunners, and all players on the floor, with 25 points.
Seattle U earned a season high in made three points, shooting 29-for-40 (72.5 percent) from the field.
Seattle U (13-12, 8-4 WAC) hits the road for a single game at Grand Canyon next week on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. PT.