“We are definitely a work in progress. It wasn’t necessarily pretty all the time but I thought we made significant improvements between the first and second halves,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “I thought Wilma [Afunugo] played a very, very good game as well as Taelor [Ross] and Alexis [Montgomery]. We need to improve defensively and on our rebounding, but I liked our intensity and our hustle and, with a lot of young kids, we’re going to continue to get better.”
After Central Washington led by three just a minute and a half into the contest on a three-pointer by Ericka Locker, the Redhawks would build their first double digit lead with a 12-0 three-minute run to lead, 19-9, at the 11:05 mark of the first half. They would lead by as many as 14, 25-11, at 8:11 before the pendulum swung in the Wildcats’ favor.
CWU would make their own 12-0 run to trail by just two, 25-23, with 2:20 remaining before half, with six of 12 points scored by Jasmine Parker.
Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) drove in back-to-back layups in the final two minutes of the half to curb the Wildcats from regaining the lead as SU led by three, 29-26, at half.
Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) and Afunugo combined for the first six non-free throw points of the second half to put Seattle U ahead by seven, 35-28, at 17:36. Despite Central Washington coming within two twice more just under the first media timeout of the second half, Seattle U would build their lead back to double digits, 45-35, halfway through the period.
Seattle U kept their double digit lead for the remainder of the contest, leading by as many as 18, 64-46, with 2:55 left to play.
Parker would make a pair of free throws for the Wildcats as Chantel Heath hit a three to cut the deficit to 13, but their comeback attempt would be cut short as Seattle U earned the 64-51 victory.
The Redhawks shot 27-for-60 from the field (45 percent), holding Central Washington to just 29.4 percent (15-for-51) in the same category. SU led at the line (63.6 percent) and from behind the arc (30 percent) but allowed CWU 29 free throw opportunities.
Afunugo led the Redhawks in scoring, shooting 8-for-15 with 20 points, leading all players on the floor. Montgomery also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
The Redhawks remain home and host Northwest University on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in their second of two exhibition games on the season. The Redhawks open the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. vs. Portland State.
Stay tuned to GoSeattleU.com as well as Facebook (Seattle U Athletics; Seattle University Women’s Basketball), Twitter (@su_athletics; @su_wbb), and Instagram (su_redhawks; su_wbb) for all the latest updates on the team throughout the 2014-15 campaign.