MOVING ON: For the first time in 46 years, Seattle University men’s basketball will be competing in a national Division I postseason tournament, as the Redhawks accepted an invitation to participate in the 2015 College Basketball Invitational. Seattle U hosts an opening round game against Pepperdine University this Wednesday night. Because KeyArena is unavailable due to the NCAA Tournament, the game is being played on campus at the Connolly Center, the second time the Redhawks have played there this season. The winning team moves on to the quarterfinals against either Colorado or Gardner-Webb next Monday.
WHERE TO CATCH THE GAME: Wednesday’s game will be streamed live on GoSeattleU.com, and live stats will also be available on the Seattle U official athletics website.
HOME SWEET HOME: Seattle U completed a 6-1 WAC home record, the most home conference victories as a Division I program since winning six home games within the West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC) in the 1976-77 season. In those seven home games, the Redhawks allowed just 46.9 points per game, holding opponents to 34.2 percent field goal shooting while hitting 47.9 percent of their field goal attempts. Overall, Seattle U is 11-5 at home entering Wednesday’s game, averaging 66.3 points per game and giving up 56.9 points per contest. Isiah Umipig scored 18 points per game in home contests this season, while Jarell Flora chipped in 15.2 points per game at home.
BACK ON CAMPUS: On Dec. 15, the Seattle University men’s basketball team played a regular season game on campus for the first time since Feb. 14, 2009, when the Redhawks completed a perfect 9-0 Connolly Center season with a 73-59 victory over South Dakota. Seattle U has now compiled a 204-140 (.593) record in the North Court, including extending its North Court winning streak to 11 games with the 84-58 victory over Northwest University. This will be the first postseason contest hosted by Seattle U at the Connolly Center since the men’s basketball team defeated Lewis-Clark State, 67-58, in the 1997 Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference tournament.
SCOUTING PEPPERDINE: The Waves enter Wednesday’s game with an 18-13 overall record, the most wins for the program in 13 years. Pepperdine finished fourth in the West Coast Conference with a 10-8 league mark and advanced to the semifinals of the WCC Tournament before losing to eventual tournament champion Gonzaga, 79-61. There are no seniors on Pepperdine’s roster this season, and the probable starting lineup includes two freshmen and a sophomore. The Waves are scoring 63.7 points per game and are allowing 61.6 points per contest. As a team, Pepperdine is shooting 42.7 percent from the field, including 31.3 percent from behind the three-point line, and 74.7 percent from the free throw line. The Waves lead the country in three-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 26.3 percent three-point field goal shooting. Stacy Davis is the team’s top player, averaging 15.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He is shooting 81.5 percent from the free throw line. Jett Raines has contributed 10.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, shooting 50 percent from the field and 78.5 percent from the free throw line. Jeremy Major is averaging 3.6 assists per game.
SEATTLE U VS. PEPPERDINE: Seattle U and Pepperdine will be meeting for the 33rd time, with Seattle U holding the series lead 20-12. The two teams met twice a year as conference foes in the West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC) from 1971 to 1980. The Redhawks won the most recent meeting between the two schools, 81-70, on Feb. 16, 2012, behind Cervante Burrell, who finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. Jarell Flora is the only member of either team to appear in that game, earning two points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal in nine minutes off the bench.