Grand Canyon earned the first possession off the tipoff and Jenna Pearson immediately converted on the play, giving the Lopes an early 2-0 lead just 24 seconds in.
Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) evened the score just a minute later and the Redhawks would gain the lead, 4-2, on an Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) jumper at 17:36. Pearson would hit a three and Johnna Brown drove in a layup to give GCU a three-point lead and they would take a three-point lead into the first media timeout after Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) and Deanna Daniels traded baskets.
The Lopes leading by as many as four, 12-8, at 14:14, the Redhawks would go on an 8-0 run over the next two and a half minutes to take their own four-point lead, 16-12, following a pair of Afunugo free throws.
Daniels and Pearson tied the score at 16 on back-to-back layups with just over nine minutes left in the opening period, and the teams would each gain the lead before the score tied again at 21 two minutes later.
Ward gained the lead, 24-23, for Seattle U at 5:07 after a key steal and layup, and after making the free throw on a Pearson foul. Astrea Reed would take the lead for GCU one more time, 25-24, on a jumper at 4:20, but the Redhawks would close the half with an 8-2 run to lead 32-27 at half.
Pearson opened the second half in similar fashion to the first with a three to bring the Lopes within just two, 32-30, at 19:26 and Kaitlyn Peterson tied the game on a jumper a minute later.
Afunugo gave SU a four point lead, 36-32, at 17:16 on back-to-back layups and the Redhawks would lead by as many as nine, 43-34, at 13:16 following a Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) sandwiched by a Ward three-pointer and layup.
The Lopes battled to tie the game 43 with 9:23 remaining on contributions by Brown and Daniels. Daniels would drive in a layup at 9:04 to give GCU the lead, 45-43, which would prove to be for good. Pearson would cap off a 10-6 run for the Lopes as they led by six, 55-49, nearly four minutes later and the Redhawks would only come as close as four, 55-51, at 5:19 on a Sowell layup.
GCU scored eight straight to lead by double digits, 63-51, at 1:56 and would keep a double digit lead until Afunugo scored four straight on a pair of free throws and a layup to bring SU within eight, 70-62. Alexis Montgomery (Beaverton, Ore.) and Sowell would drive in back-to-back layups but the Lopes made key free throws down the stretch to pull out the win.
The Redhawks were led by Afunugo with a career high 18 points, followed by Ward with a season high 17. Sowell also added double scoring figures and her 10th double-double of the season (13 pts, 10 rbs).
Pearson and Daniels led the Lopes with 19 points apiece as GCU out-rebounded SU, 36-32. The teams shooting the exact same percentage from the field (47.3 percent), GCU’s seven three’s (7-for-19) to Seattle U’s two (2-for-11) proved to be a difference maker.
Seattle U has over a week between competitions before facing Idaho in their final road game of the regular season on Mar. 1. The Redhawks return home for the final regular season weekend, hosting Kansas City on Mar. 6 and Chicago State on Mar. 8. This year’s senior class will also be honored prior to the Mar. 8 contest.