SEATTLE – (Mar. 14) Seattle University men's basketball's season came to a close Wednesday night in the Connolly Complex as the Redhawks dropped a 92-90 overtime decision to Central Arkansas in the first round of the Collegiate Basketball Invitational.
The up-tempo, back-and-forth game featured 13 lead changes and 12 tie scores, including a 78-78 tie at the end of regulation that send the contest into extra time. The Redhawks led 85-82 following a Richaud Gittens jumper with 2:32 to play, and Gittens would tie the score 88-88 with 38 ticks remaining, but missed the chance to go ahead on the and-one free throw.
Mathieu Kambas put the Bears on top 90-88 on a dunk with 22 seconds remaining and Central Arkansas made two of four free throws in the waning seconds to secure the win.
"You never like to see your season come to an end," said Head Coach Jim Hayford. "To lose in overtime was really hard for the guys in the locker room. "We lost Josh (Hearlihy) right at the end of warmups and that changed our rotation. We just ran out of gas and I think where it showed itself the most was at the free-throw line, unfortunately."
Seattle U went an uncharacteristic 12-for-21 from the charity stripe, including just 3-of-7 in the extra frame. The Bears (18-16) shot 16-for-22 from the line.
Gittens led four Seattle U players in double figures, finishing with 25 points to go along with 12 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Matej Kavas had 21 points, including five threes, and Aaron Menzies collected 19 points and 12 boards for his 14th double-double of the season. Jordan Hill rounded things out with 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
The Bears' Jordan Howard led all scorers with 30 points while Hayden Koval had 17, Matthew Mondesir had 13 and Kamba chipped in 10.
The teams went back-and-forth early before Seattle U opened up a 28-19 advantage on a Morgan Means layup with 8:09 to play in the first. The Redhawks would lead by nine again, 32-23 before the Bears whittled it down to a one-point game, 34-33 with 2:38 on the clock. Back-to-back threes by Hill and Kavas opened the lead back up, but UCA would trim it to one again, 40-39, at the half.
The Redhawks held the largest lead of the second half, 64-58. A Koval layup with 11 seconds remaining tied the score, 78-78, and a Hill three attempt rimmed out to send the game into extra time.