2018-19 SCHEDULE | BUY TICKETS | GIVE
SEATTLE – A down-to-the wire Western Athletic Conference game at the Redhawk Center ended in defeat for Seattle University men’s basketball as UTRGV came out on top with a 67-62 win.
“We need to credit the opponent,” said Head Coach Jim Hayford postgame. “Their team played really hard and stayed together. They won the game.”
Myles Carter finished with 28 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs. The junior forward, who leads the WAC with eight double-doubles, also had a stellar night from the charity stripe, finishing 10-11. Terrell Brown added with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Neither side could take control early. With Aaron Nettles inserted into the starting five, Seattle U (12-8, 0-5 WAC) came out in a three-guard system to boost its offensive opportunities. The Vaqueros (10-11, 2-3 WAC) countered with high-pressing defense and double-teams high up the court. Though the Redhawks could find gaps by splitting the UTRGV double team, the home side shot just 30.4 percent from the field in the first half.
What Seattle U lacked in field goals, they made up for in free-throw shooting. Brown found success in quick drives to the hoop and dishing to Carter. The duo took a combined five trips to the line, contributing 95 percent of the team's free-throw shooting in the opening frame.
A 17-6 run in the middle of the half to combine with missed opportunities from the field from Seattle U kept the visitors in the game. Carter led the Redhawks with 11 points and seven rebounds at the break. Both sides went into the break even at 28-28.
The game saw a total of nine lead changes, seven of which came in the second half. Early, Carter used his imposing figure to muscle off his man in the paint, scoring 17 of his 28 points and earning frequent trips to the free-throw line.
“A lot of the credit should go towards the performance Myles had tonight," Hayford continued. "He tried his very best to keep us in there on his own.”
Nettles, coming off a six point performance against New Mexico State, hit a three with 9:32 to play, evening the score at 47-47. A pair of Carter free throws and another Nettles triple helped give the Redhawks a 53-49 advantage with 7:12 to play.
But turnovers and missed shots proved costly down the stretch. A pair of Brown turnovers led to a pair of trips to the free-throw line for the Vaqueros where they went 4-4 as par of a 10-0 run. A Solomon Hainna layup capped the stretch as UTRGV went back on top, 59-53.
A Carter put back layup with 2:06 on the clock made it a one-possession game, 63-60. But Morgan Means will miss on a pair of field goal attempts and two turnovers in the final minute of play would hinder any chance of a final rally.
The Redhawks heads back on the road at Chicago State on Jan. 24. Tip-off is set at 7:00 p.m Central, 5:00 p.m. Pacific at the JCC Center.