Seattle University women’s basketball (9-20, 6-8 WAC) trailed Grand Canyon (13-14, 7-7 WAC) early in the first half but down by just one at halftime, would use late second half runs and key stops to earn a 46-43 win in Western Athletic Conference play. The win marks a season sweep over the Lopes after defeating GCU, 59-56, on Feb. 5, earlier this season in Phoenix.
As Seattle U matched their largest lead of the game, 42-35, with just under seven minutes remaining, Mikaehla Connor drove in a layup at 2:55 to cut the SU lead to three, 44-41. Jazmine Johnson (Lakewood, Calif.) went 1-for-2 at the line with a minute and a half remaining before August Touchard hit a jumper to bring GCU within two, 45-43.
The Lopes missed a key three-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to take the lead and would, instead, commit the foul giving Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) a chance at two free throws. Hitting one of two, Best gave the Redhawks a three-point lead and earned a steal in the final seconds to clinch the win.
“This was a good momentum builder because Grand Canyon has really played well lately, but we just needed to buckle down,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “We focused when we needed to and got a really key rebound and free throw down the stretch. This was not a pretty win, but a gutsy win.”
Casey Rarrick gave the Lopes a 2-0 lead in the first 32 seconds of play before Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.) tied the tally over three minutes later.
Grand Canyon would lead by as many as five, 7-2, in the opening 10 minutes of play on back-to-back Jessica Gajewski jumpers before a Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas) three-pointer cut SU’s deficit to two, 7-5, at 10:18.
Responding with a 8-0 run the Lopes led by double digits, 15-5, with 5:37 remaining before half before the Redhawks rallied with an 11-0 run to lead, 16-15, three minutes later. Dillard-Brown hit back-to-back buckets on the run capped by a three-point play by Best.
August Touchard hit a three with 2:11 until half to regain a two-point lead for the Lopes and Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) would go 1-for-2 from the line 15 seconds later as SU trailed by one, 18-17, at the halftime buzzer.
Johnson regained the SU lead early in the second half before the Lopes scored five straight to lead by four, 23-19, at 17:42.
A close contest over the next four minutes, Seattle U would build their largest lead to that point at 11:03, 36-29, on a layup by Best.
Devyn Edwards and Cheyenne Hedrington drove in back-to-back layups near the 10 minute mark to cut the Redhawk lead to three before Seattle U extended their lead back to seven, 42-35, with 6:41 remaining.
Dillard-Brown led the Redhawks with her first career double-double (10 pts, 10 rbs) while Best (12 pts) and Allen (11 pts) also scored in double figures for Seattle U. Best and Grand Canyon’s Touchard led all players on the floor with 12 points apiece.
Seattle U used a 65 percent (13-for-20) free-throw shooting night as well as 20 GCU turnovers to their advantage in the win. Prior to the contest, Dillard-Brown and Makenna Clark (Lake Tapps, Wash.) were honored in their final home game in Redhawk uniform.
The Redhawks earned the No. 4 seed in next week’s WAC Tournament in Las Vegas and will face the No. 5 seed Utah Valley Wolverines on Wednesday, Mar. 11 at 2 pm. The winner will advance to face No. 1 New Mexico State on Friday, Mar. 13 at 12 noon. During the regular season, SU and UVU split with each team picking up a win on their home floor.
“Utah Valley is playing really well right now, have a really good inside game and some tough players,” Bonvicini said looking forward to next week’s WAC Tournament. “I like our defense and I want us to be able to say we’re playing our best basketball in March.”
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 next week’s WAC Tournament.
Fans can purchase all-session tickets for the 2015 Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournament by calling (206) 398-GOSU or through the Orleans Arena box office at (702) 284-7777 or www.orleansarena.com. Single session tickets will be available starting Mar. 11 for purchase through the Orleans Arena box office.