Seattle University concluded the 2013-14 regular season with a 67-53 loss to Chicago State Saturday afternoon at the Jones Convocation Center.
Jarell Flora (Bremerton, Wash.) hit two three-pointers in the first two minutes to help Seattle U go ahead, 8-5, before Chicago State scored eight unanswered points to pull ahead, 13-8. A 7-2 Redhawk run featuring five points by D’Vonne Pickett Jr. (Seattle, Wash.) tied the game at 15-15 with 7:25 remaining in the first half, but Clarke Rosenberg scored four straight Cougar points to put Chicago State on top, 20-16.
The Redhawks answered a three-pointer from Quinton Pippen with consecutive layups by Isiah Umipig (Federal Way, Wash.) and Clarence Trent (Tacoma, Wash.) to close their deficit to one at 25-24. Chicago State scored the final seven points of the first half, punctuated by a jumper from Matt Ross as time ran out, to extend its lead to 32-24 at halftime.
After a layup by Eddie Denard put the Cougars ahead by 10, Seattle U went on a 12-2 scoring run over the next four minutes, led by three three-pointers from Flora, to tie the game at 36-36. Chicago State would outscore Seattle U, 22-6, to put the game away, holding the Redhawks without a field goal for almost 11 full minutes.
Flora shot 6-of-11 from behind the three-point line and 4-of-4 from the free throw line to finish with 22 points, the only Redhawk to score in double figures. Umipig collected eight points and three steals, while Pickett contributed seven points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Jack Crook (Manchester, England) pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Redhawks.
Nate Duhon led the Cougars with 18 points and five steals, while Ross notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, plus he blocked four shots. Pippen contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals as Chicago State clinched the third seed in next week’s WAC Tournament.
As a team, Seattle U shot just 31.3 percent from the field (15-of-48), including 9-of-22 from behind the three-point line, and 60.9 percent from the free throw line (14-of-23). The Redhawks also lost the rebounding battle to the Cougars, 39-35, and committed 24 turnovers that led to 28 Chicago State points.
Seattle University (13-16, 5-11 WAC) will be the seventh seed in next week’s WAC Men’s Basketball Tournament and will face second seed New Mexico State Thursday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Dave Grosby and Gary Hill Jr. will broadcast the game live on 770 AM KTTH, starting with the pregame show at 8:15. There will also be a live stream available at www.wacsports.tv.