The Redhawks took a 9-0 lead through the first media timeout on a trio of three’s from Claire Metoyer (Desoto, Texas), Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas), and Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.), with Metoyer’s coming a minute into the game and Best’s near the 15 and a half minute mark.
Sarah Amalou hit a pair of three’s bookending a layup from Chanel Wilson Stewart as the Cougars pulled within one, 9-8, near the 12:30 mark and Chicago State would take a lead, 10-9, on a pair of free throws by Paris Williams at 11:45.
Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) regained the lead for the Redhawks, 11-10, on a layup with just over 11 minutes in the half before Kristin Stoffel (Mill Creek, Wash.) hit a jumper to put the Redhawks up by three two minutes later.
Amalou and Williams would tie the score at 13 and 15 near the eight and six minute marks before Afunugo gave SU a 17-15 lead with a pair of free throws at 4:11. Masha Shtikel (Shoreline, Wash.) went from 1-for-2 from the line at 3:48 and Stoffel drove in a layup a minute later to give the Redhawks a pair of three point leads, the second 20-17 with just under three minutes before half.
The Cougars would close the first half with three straight buckets, two from Williams, to gain a three-point lead, 23-20 at halftime.
Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) opened the second half with a layup to bring the Redhawks within one, 23-22, and the lead would change hands six different times in the first three and a half minutes of the second half before Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.) knotted the score at 32.
Jazmine Johnson (Lakewood, Calif.) tied the score again at 34 at 13:37, going 2-for-2 from the line, and Williams would again tie the game two minutes later at 36.
Murphy gave the Cougars a two-point lead, 38-36, just under nine minutes into the second half before Best regained the Redhawk lead, putting SU up by three, 41-38. Best scored on a pair of layups near the 10 minute mark and was fouled on the second one, making the free throw for the three-point play.
Williams put CSU back up, 42-41, with just over seven minutes remaining, but it would prove to be the Cougars’ final lead as Ross took the lead back for good for Seattle U, 43-42, at 5:55 on a one-and-one.
Afunugo put SU ahead by four on a three-point play with four and a half minutes remaining and the Redhawks would lead by four again a minute later, 49-45, on an Allen three-pointer.
The Redhawks would go on a 7-4 run to finish the game and earn the victory, 56-49, as Best and Stoffel combined to go 3-for-4 from the line in the final 10 seconds. Ross led SU with 12 points and eight rebounds in the win.
Seattle U has a single game road trip to Bakersfield next weekend, taking on the Roadrunners at the Icardo Center at 1 pm PT on Saturday, Feb. 28.