SEATTLE - Seattle University women's basketball rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat Utah Valley, 82-80, on Saturday afternoon. Hailey Vice-Neat's three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left in OT proved the difference in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) game at the Redhawk Center.
"It was a gutsy game," said Coach Suzy Barcomb. "We battled and stayed within distance and then in the fourth quarter, we really dug deep. Kamira caught fire in the fourth quarter. She had some key baskets and Hailey was phenomenal for us as well."
Vice-Neat made two free throws to force overtime, where Utah Valley got ahead early. It scored the first three points of the session at the charity stripe before Olivia Crawford replied two foul shots of her own. The visitors took a 75-70 lead with 3:25 left, but the Redhawks floored it from there, going on a 9-0 run to swing momentum.
Kamira Sanders made a steal and scored on the other end. After a stop, Crawford found Vice-Neat, who canned a wing trey to even the score at 75 with 2:29 to play. A Wolverine offensive foul gave the ball back to SU and Sanders took advantage with a layup for a two-point edge. Crawford then pulled down a rebound and Sanders drove to score again with 1:37 remaining.
UVU wasn't done, though, as Jordan Holland made two free throws and then sank a three to give her team an 80-79 lead with just under a minute left. The Redhawks turned it over, but Vice-Neat blocked a shot and Leilani Peat corralled the loose ball to allow SU to call time with 21 seconds to go.
Sanders looked to drive, but was initially cut off by the UVU defense. The senior found space on the baseline and kicked to Peat at the elbow, where she shuffled a pass to Vice-Neat at the top of the key. She stepped into a three-ball and nailed it, putting Seattle U ahead, 82-80, with 5.4 seconds showing on the clock. SU then harassed the Wolverines as time expired with no shot taken.
Sanders led with 25 points on 9-13 field-goal shooting. She made all six of her free throws, adding five steals, four assists and four rebounds on the day. Vice-Neat scored a career-high 18 points to go with 11 boards, marking her first double-double as a Redhawk. Alves totaled 16 points and six rebounds before fouling out.
Alves and Courtney Murphy both swished early threes to spark the SU offense. The visitors eventually grabbed a 16-8 advantage, but Crawford dished to Alves, who sank another trey at the 1:47 mark. Sanders found Murphy for a triple in the last minute of play to make it a two-point game. UVU scored, but Vice-Neat finished a putback in the final seconds of the frame, pulling SU within 18-16 after a period.
The Wolverines opened the second quarter with a pair of threes to take control of the action. Sanders scored twice around a UVU bucket. The visitors hit a three, but Sanders set up a Vice-Neat three-ball to keep the Redhawks close at 29-23. However, UVU answered with seven straight points to pull away. Alves converted a three-point play late in the half as the teams went to the break with a 36-26 difference.
SU worked to rally in the third, gaining some ground as the quarter wore on. After a UVU hoop, Sanders made a stepback three. Utah Valley scored again and eventually stretched its lead to 45-30 at the 6:46 mark. Vice-Neat made a trey to stem the run and later, Crawford and Chinwe Ezeonu both scored to make it a 10-point margin. Alves tried to push SU over the top, as the senior connected on a putback, two free throws, and a triple, getting her side within 50-44 with 1:58 left in the third. Georgia Kehoe and McKenzi Williams scored late in the quarter, as the hosts trailed, 54-48, through three.
In the fourth, Sanders got going, making a pair of lay-ins to make it a four-point game. Following a UVU hoop, Williams scored to keep the margin at four. The visitors scored again, but Sanders came back with two foul shots. She then made a steal and set up a Crawford three-pointer as the Redhawks pulled within one at 60-59 with 5:49 showing on the clock.
Utah Valley held its lead, though, going back up by five down the stretch. Sanders connected on a pair of free throws before a UVU three-point play. Sanders earned two more foul shots and converted. The senior continued her stellar second half, grabbing an offensive rebound to keep a possession alive before late driving and scoring on an acrobatic attempt to make it 67-65 with 49 seconds left.
SU got a stop on the other end, but the Wolverines grabbed an offensive board. The Redhawks and UVU missed both foul shots with 18 seconds left. Vice-Neat was fouled and split two free throws to make it 67-66 with nine seconds remaining. Utah Valley then split two foul shots with 2.7 seconds showing on the clock. SU called time and looked for Vice-Neat inside, where she was fouled again. Vice-Neat calmly swished both tries and after a defensive stop, the game headed to overtime.
SU hosts New Mexico State in a WAC contest on Thursday, Feb. 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Redhawk Center.
"It was a gutsy game," said Coach Suzy Barcomb. "We battled and stayed within distance and then in the fourth quarter, we really dug deep. Kamira caught fire in the fourth quarter. She had some key baskets and Hailey was phenomenal for us as well."
Vice-Neat made two free throws to force overtime, where Utah Valley got ahead early. It scored the first three points of the session at the charity stripe before Olivia Crawford replied two foul shots of her own. The visitors took a 75-70 lead with 3:25 left, but the Redhawks floored it from there, going on a 9-0 run to swing momentum.
Kamira Sanders made a steal and scored on the other end. After a stop, Crawford found Vice-Neat, who canned a wing trey to even the score at 75 with 2:29 to play. A Wolverine offensive foul gave the ball back to SU and Sanders took advantage with a layup for a two-point edge. Crawford then pulled down a rebound and Sanders drove to score again with 1:37 remaining.
UVU wasn't done, though, as Jordan Holland made two free throws and then sank a three to give her team an 80-79 lead with just under a minute left. The Redhawks turned it over, but Vice-Neat blocked a shot and Leilani Peat corralled the loose ball to allow SU to call time with 21 seconds to go.
Sanders looked to drive, but was initially cut off by the UVU defense. The senior found space on the baseline and kicked to Peat at the elbow, where she shuffled a pass to Vice-Neat at the top of the key. She stepped into a three-ball and nailed it, putting Seattle U ahead, 82-80, with 5.4 seconds showing on the clock. SU then harassed the Wolverines as time expired with no shot taken.
Sanders led with 25 points on 9-13 field-goal shooting. She made all six of her free throws, adding five steals, four assists and four rebounds on the day. Vice-Neat scored a career-high 18 points to go with 11 boards, marking her first double-double as a Redhawk. Alves totaled 16 points and six rebounds before fouling out.
Alves and Courtney Murphy both swished early threes to spark the SU offense. The visitors eventually grabbed a 16-8 advantage, but Crawford dished to Alves, who sank another trey at the 1:47 mark. Sanders found Murphy for a triple in the last minute of play to make it a two-point game. UVU scored, but Vice-Neat finished a putback in the final seconds of the frame, pulling SU within 18-16 after a period.
The Wolverines opened the second quarter with a pair of threes to take control of the action. Sanders scored twice around a UVU bucket. The visitors hit a three, but Sanders set up a Vice-Neat three-ball to keep the Redhawks close at 29-23. However, UVU answered with seven straight points to pull away. Alves converted a three-point play late in the half as the teams went to the break with a 36-26 difference.
SU worked to rally in the third, gaining some ground as the quarter wore on. After a UVU hoop, Sanders made a stepback three. Utah Valley scored again and eventually stretched its lead to 45-30 at the 6:46 mark. Vice-Neat made a trey to stem the run and later, Crawford and Chinwe Ezeonu both scored to make it a 10-point margin. Alves tried to push SU over the top, as the senior connected on a putback, two free throws, and a triple, getting her side within 50-44 with 1:58 left in the third. Georgia Kehoe and McKenzi Williams scored late in the quarter, as the hosts trailed, 54-48, through three.
In the fourth, Sanders got going, making a pair of lay-ins to make it a four-point game. Following a UVU hoop, Williams scored to keep the margin at four. The visitors scored again, but Sanders came back with two foul shots. She then made a steal and set up a Crawford three-pointer as the Redhawks pulled within one at 60-59 with 5:49 showing on the clock.
Utah Valley held its lead, though, going back up by five down the stretch. Sanders connected on a pair of free throws before a UVU three-point play. Sanders earned two more foul shots and converted. The senior continued her stellar second half, grabbing an offensive rebound to keep a possession alive before late driving and scoring on an acrobatic attempt to make it 67-65 with 49 seconds left.
SU got a stop on the other end, but the Wolverines grabbed an offensive board. The Redhawks and UVU missed both foul shots with 18 seconds left. Vice-Neat was fouled and split two free throws to make it 67-66 with nine seconds remaining. Utah Valley then split two foul shots with 2.7 seconds showing on the clock. SU called time and looked for Vice-Neat inside, where she was fouled again. Vice-Neat calmly swished both tries and after a defensive stop, the game headed to overtime.
SU hosts New Mexico State in a WAC contest on Thursday, Feb. 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Redhawk Center.