Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) scored the first points of the game on a jumper 14 seconds in before Tyonna Outland hit a three 40 seconds later to give Bakersfield the lead. The Roadrunners would lead by four two different times before Claire Metoyer (Desoto, Texas) tied the game at nine on a layup at 15:14.
Outland hit a three to put Bakersfield up, 12-9, just under the 15-minute mark of the first half before the Redhawks responded with a 6-2 run to regain the lead, 15-14, at 11:41, capped on layups by Ross and Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas).
Outland tied the game at 19 at 7:32 on a pair of free throw shots but Seattle U would respond with a 12-4 to lead by eight, 31-23, just under three minutes until half.
CSUB scored eight straight to retie the score at 31 with 31 seconds in the first half but Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) sunk a pair of free throw shots five seconds before half to give SU the 33-31 lead at half.
Outland drove in a layup a minute and a half into the second half to retie the score for the fifth time, this time at 33, and would follow with a second two minutes later to regain the Roadrunner lead for good.
Jumpers by the Redhawks’ resident Seattlelites Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) and Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.) drew Seattle U within one two different times near the 15-minute mark of the second half but Erika Williams hit a pair of three’s to give Bakersfield a nine-point lead, 49-40, halfway into the second half.
Outland’s layup at 8:20 gave Bakersfield their first double digit lead and they would lead by as many as 17, 66-49, with four minutes remaining on a layup by Brittany Sims.
The Redhawks cut their deficit to 12 two different times over the final three and a half minutes, the second time on a layup from Metoyer, which would prove to be the final score, 73-61.
Ross led the Redhawks with 20 points, also adding eight rebounds. Dillard-Brown also scored in double figures (13 pts), adding a team-high nine rebounds as Seattle U outrebounded CSUB, 48-46.
Seattle U hit 73.9 percent (17-for-23) from the field, but 0-for-12 from behind the arc. From the field, the Redhawks hit 28.9 percent (22-for-76) while the Roadrunners hit 44.1 percent (26-for-59).
The Redhawks close the regular season hosting Grand Canyon on Saturday, Mar. 7 at 4 pm PT. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as this year’s senior class – Dillard-Brown and Makenna Clark (Lake Tapps, Wash.) – will be honored prior to the game.
Stay tuned to GoSeattleU.com for all the latest updates on the team throughout the remainder of the regular season and leading up to the Western Athletic Conference tournament (Mar. 11, 13-14).