SEATTLE – Seattle University women's basketball beat CSU Bakersfield, 63-57, on Saturday afternoon. Joana Alves led SU with 26 points in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) game at the Redhawk Center.
"I told the team in the locker room, 'There you are'", said Coach Suzy Barcomb. "This is exactly how we should be playing. Hopefully, this is the one that gets us over the hump. Our passing tonight was phenomenal. We really shared the ball well."
CSUB hit its lone three-pointer of the game with 7:14 left in the fourth period, tying the score at 53. SU locked down from there, allowing just four points the rest of the way. With 5:36 to go, McKenzi Williams drew a double team and kicked out to Hailey Vice-Neat, who splashed a corner three for a 56-53 advantage. The visitors scored next, but Alves was fouled and converted both ensuing free throws to maintain a three-point spread. The Redhawks earned another stop and Alves split two foul shots with 3:26 remaining.
After SU forced a `Runner miss, Williams found Alves with a mismatch inside, where the senior turned and scored to make it a 61-55 game at the 2:18 mark. CSUB scored with less than a minute left, but two Vice-Neat free throws iced the contest.
Alves put up 26 points on 10-16 shooting. Sanders recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Vice-Neat added 10 points, seven boards, and a pair of blocked shots. Williams totaled six points, five rebounds, and two assists off the bench.
Seattle U held CSUB to 1-28 shooting from three-point range. The `Runners shot 25-78 (32.1 percent) from the floor on the day.
The visitors grabbed an early 9-1 lead before Alves made a pair of layups. Trailing 13-5, Olivia Crawford found a slashing Williams for a bucket at the 4:44 mark. Crawford then set up another Alves score and Leilani Peat grabbed a rebound and scored, but the `Runners led, 19-13, after the first.
Sanders and Alves led the Redhawks back to prosperity in the second quarter. Sanders scored inside and then Alves sank a wing three-ball to make it 21-18 with 8:34 left in the half. The visitors scored next, but Sanders made another lay-in and later split a pair of foul shots. After a CSUB hoop, Alves finished in the paint as SU pulled within two at 25-23.
With 4:53 to go in the half, Sanders drove and scored to make it 27-all. The `Runners bounced back, but Alves connected on a jumper and Sanders scored with 1:38 left to make it 33-31 CSUB. Sanders stole the ball and went in for a score in the final minute, sending the contest to the half even at 33.
Vice-Neat hit a trey to start second-half scoring as the Redhawks took their first lead of the day. The visitors quickly regained the advantage, but a Courtney Murphy trey made it 39-37 SU with 6:29 showing on the clock. An Alves layup kept the hosts ahead as the teams traded points. Alves hit two foul shots and then scored inside. Sanders and Vice-Neat both sank a pair of free throws to hold a 51-48 margin through three periods.
In the fourth, CSUB scored first, but Alves came back with a bucket for a 53-50 lead that set up the end game Saturday.
SU will play just one game next weekend, as it heads to California Baptist. The WAC match is slated for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 1, at CBU.
"I told the team in the locker room, 'There you are'", said Coach Suzy Barcomb. "This is exactly how we should be playing. Hopefully, this is the one that gets us over the hump. Our passing tonight was phenomenal. We really shared the ball well."
CSUB hit its lone three-pointer of the game with 7:14 left in the fourth period, tying the score at 53. SU locked down from there, allowing just four points the rest of the way. With 5:36 to go, McKenzi Williams drew a double team and kicked out to Hailey Vice-Neat, who splashed a corner three for a 56-53 advantage. The visitors scored next, but Alves was fouled and converted both ensuing free throws to maintain a three-point spread. The Redhawks earned another stop and Alves split two foul shots with 3:26 remaining.
After SU forced a `Runner miss, Williams found Alves with a mismatch inside, where the senior turned and scored to make it a 61-55 game at the 2:18 mark. CSUB scored with less than a minute left, but two Vice-Neat free throws iced the contest.
Alves put up 26 points on 10-16 shooting. Sanders recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Vice-Neat added 10 points, seven boards, and a pair of blocked shots. Williams totaled six points, five rebounds, and two assists off the bench.
Seattle U held CSUB to 1-28 shooting from three-point range. The `Runners shot 25-78 (32.1 percent) from the floor on the day.
The visitors grabbed an early 9-1 lead before Alves made a pair of layups. Trailing 13-5, Olivia Crawford found a slashing Williams for a bucket at the 4:44 mark. Crawford then set up another Alves score and Leilani Peat grabbed a rebound and scored, but the `Runners led, 19-13, after the first.
Sanders and Alves led the Redhawks back to prosperity in the second quarter. Sanders scored inside and then Alves sank a wing three-ball to make it 21-18 with 8:34 left in the half. The visitors scored next, but Sanders made another lay-in and later split a pair of foul shots. After a CSUB hoop, Alves finished in the paint as SU pulled within two at 25-23.
With 4:53 to go in the half, Sanders drove and scored to make it 27-all. The `Runners bounced back, but Alves connected on a jumper and Sanders scored with 1:38 left to make it 33-31 CSUB. Sanders stole the ball and went in for a score in the final minute, sending the contest to the half even at 33.
Vice-Neat hit a trey to start second-half scoring as the Redhawks took their first lead of the day. The visitors quickly regained the advantage, but a Courtney Murphy trey made it 39-37 SU with 6:29 showing on the clock. An Alves layup kept the hosts ahead as the teams traded points. Alves hit two foul shots and then scored inside. Sanders and Vice-Neat both sank a pair of free throws to hold a 51-48 margin through three periods.
In the fourth, CSUB scored first, but Alves came back with a bucket for a 53-50 lead that set up the end game Saturday.
SU will play just one game next weekend, as it heads to California Baptist. The WAC match is slated for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 1, at CBU.