ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Seattle University hits the road to close out the first half of the conference season, first taking on Utah Valley Thursday before facing WAC-leading Grand Canyon Saturday.
LAST GAME: Five players scored in double figures as Seattle University executed its offense well throughout the game on its way to a 70-59 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley Saturday night at KeyArena at Seattle Center. Jack Crook shot 8-of-12 from the field as he finished with a game-high 16 points, plus he pulled down four rebounds and dished out five assists. Emmanuel Chibuogwu hit 6-of-9 shots from the field as he scored a career-high 13 points, while Manroop Clair hit four three-pointers for 12 points. Brendan Westendorf contributed 11 points and seven assists, and William Powell added 10 points and five rebounds to the winning effort. UT Rio Grande Valley went on an 8-2 scoring run early in the first half, including three-pointers by Antonio Green and JJ Thompson, to take a 12-8 lead. Seattle U responded, scoring nine unanswered points, five of them by Aaron Menzies, to pull ahead, 17-12, with 10:52 remaining in the first half. The Vaqueros put together their own stretch of eight straight points, capped by three-pointers from Ot Elmore and Thompson, to retake the lead at 23-19. The Redhawks came right back, closing the first half with a 13-4 scoring run, punctuated by three straight three-pointers from Clair, to take a 32-27 lead into the locker room at halftime. UTRGV closed to within three points three different times in the first five minutes of the second half, but Seattle U went on a 12-4 scoring run over the next five minutes, with Westendorf scoring half of those points, to extend its lead to 54-43 halfway through the second half. A jumper by Thompson closed the Vaquero deficit to seven at 62-55 with 4:17 left in regulation, but the Redhawks scored six straight points, capped by a dunk from Powell, to put the game away.
SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY: The Wolverines enter Thursday’s game with a 9-11 overall record, including a 5-4 record at home. Utah Valley is in fourth place in the WAC standings with a 3-2 record after defeating both Missouri-Kansas City (90-79) and Chicago State (82-76) on the road last weekend. The Wolverines are scoring 76.7 points per game and allowing 78.2 points per contest. As a team, Utah Valley is shooting 43.2 percent from the field, including 36.6 percent from behind the three-point line, and 73.8 percent from the free throw line. Konner Frey leads the team with 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Jaden Jackson is averaging 14.9 points per game, and Marcel Davis is contributing 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.55 assists per game.
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON: The Antelopes enter the weekend with an 18-2 overall record, tied with North Carolina for the second-highest winning percentage in Division I (.900) and tied with the Tar Heels, SMU, and Southern Illinois for most victories (18). Grand Canyon, 12-1 at home, is at the top of the WAC standings with a 5-0 league mark after road wins at Chicago State (90-65) and Missouri-Kansas City (85-78). The ‘Lopes are on an 11-game winning streak, last losing at Omaha in overtime on Dec. 13, 108-104, with the only other loss coming at Louisville. Grand Canyon is scoring 80.9 points per game and allowing 70.0 points per contest. As a team, the ‘Lopes are shooting 48.0 percent from the field, including 39.8 percent from behind the three-point line, and 69.7 percent from the free throw line. Joshua Braun leads the team in scoring at 17.8 points per game, while Grandy Glaze is shooting 63.8 percent from the field as he is contributing 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.