SEATTLE – Against the abrupt and heartbreaking ending to the 2019-20 season, Seattle U men's basketball's season was filled with memorable moments and achievements as Head Coach Jim Hayford closed out his third season at the helm of the Redhawk program.
All told, the Redhawks would go 14-15 overall, 7-7 in Western Athletic Conference play and earn the third seed in the WAC Tournament – tying the program's highest seed – before the impact of unforeseen circumstances forced the cancellation of their final two regular-season games, the WAC Tournament and any potential postseason play.
"I'm proud of what the guys accomplished this year and felt like we were peaking as a team when the season hit a total stop," said Hayford, who is now 52-44 in three seasons at SU and 412-219 in his 20-year career.
Along with improved records over Hayford's tenure, the Redhawks have also seen a rise of their rankings, including a 199 average over the last three seasons (according to KenPom), a marked improvement over a 268 average over the previous three seasons (2015-17).
While the conclusion of this year may be the most easily remembered, it was the markers throughout the campaign that should remain telling of the continued rise of the program.
"We came together as a group of brothers and really enjoyed the experience," Hayford said.
Primed to begin the year on a high note, Hayford would tip off the personal achievements on No. 12, 2019 with the 400th win of his 21-year career.
A grueling stretch of travel followed, taking the Redhawks to Syracuse, N.Y., Oxford, Miss., and Orlando over a two-week stretch for four games as part of the 2019 NIT Season Tip-Off.
In the final game of the stretch, a 59-55 win over Western Michigan at HP Field House in ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, senior Morgan Means buried a three-pointer early in the second half to become just the third Seattle U player to reach 1,000 points in the program's modern-day DI era.
The Redhawks would ultimately finish the season with a pair of 1,000-point scorers on the court as redshirt junior Terrell Brown added his name to the list on Feb. 20, 2020.
Means would close out his collegiate career with 1,291 points, while also ranking tied for sixth all-time at SU with 150 three-pointers, seventh all-time with 334 assists, seventh all-time with 135 steals and ninth all-time in free-throw percentage (81.7).
Brown, who was named First Team NABC All-District 6, First Team All-WAC and WAC Player of the Week three times, closed out the season ranked eighth all-time in assists (291) and tied for fourth in assists per game (4.7). He has 1,064 career points over two seasons as a Redhawk.
As a team, the Redhawks added themselves to the program's record book as their 209 three pointers ranks seventh for a single season and their collective free-throw percentage of 77.5 (506-653) ranks second best all-time, trailing only the 1944-45 team that went 145-172 from the line for an 84.3 average.
The team free-throw shooting also ranked among the best in the nation as their 77.5 percentage was 12th, free-throws made ranked 29th and free-throws attempted ranked 79th.
The Redhawks also finished second among all 350 Division I programs in fewest turnovers, and eighth in fewest turnovers per game (10.2).
In WAC play, Seattle U earned a trio of home-and-home sweeps, downing Chicago State, CSU Bakersfield and Utah Valley - the final in thrilling overtime fashion as Means banked home a runner from the left block with 1.5 seconds remaining for an 87-85 win in Orem. The victory in Bakersfield was also a first as WAC opponents and last achieved the 2010-11 season.
The Redhawks also earned a thrilling 95-89 win over Grand Canyon on Feb. 20, 2020, marking the second straight year of clinching a key win over the Lopes.
"I thought Morgan and Mattia were great senior leaders who had a great four-year run," said Hayford. "And while competing on the court, the team had the best season in team GPA in the classroom of our modern DI era. That is also certainly something to find great satisfaction in."
Along with Means, Seattle U's departing seniors included Mattia Da Campo, Delante Jones, Anand Hundal and Jordan Dallas.
The Redhawks would turn in a cumulative 3.245 GPA during the in-season winter quarter.
All told, the Redhawks would go 14-15 overall, 7-7 in Western Athletic Conference play and earn the third seed in the WAC Tournament – tying the program's highest seed – before the impact of unforeseen circumstances forced the cancellation of their final two regular-season games, the WAC Tournament and any potential postseason play.
"I'm proud of what the guys accomplished this year and felt like we were peaking as a team when the season hit a total stop," said Hayford, who is now 52-44 in three seasons at SU and 412-219 in his 20-year career.
Along with improved records over Hayford's tenure, the Redhawks have also seen a rise of their rankings, including a 199 average over the last three seasons (according to KenPom), a marked improvement over a 268 average over the previous three seasons (2015-17).
While the conclusion of this year may be the most easily remembered, it was the markers throughout the campaign that should remain telling of the continued rise of the program.
"We came together as a group of brothers and really enjoyed the experience," Hayford said.
Primed to begin the year on a high note, Hayford would tip off the personal achievements on No. 12, 2019 with the 400th win of his 21-year career.
A grueling stretch of travel followed, taking the Redhawks to Syracuse, N.Y., Oxford, Miss., and Orlando over a two-week stretch for four games as part of the 2019 NIT Season Tip-Off.
In the final game of the stretch, a 59-55 win over Western Michigan at HP Field House in ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, senior Morgan Means buried a three-pointer early in the second half to become just the third Seattle U player to reach 1,000 points in the program's modern-day DI era.
The Redhawks would ultimately finish the season with a pair of 1,000-point scorers on the court as redshirt junior Terrell Brown added his name to the list on Feb. 20, 2020.
Means would close out his collegiate career with 1,291 points, while also ranking tied for sixth all-time at SU with 150 three-pointers, seventh all-time with 334 assists, seventh all-time with 135 steals and ninth all-time in free-throw percentage (81.7).
Brown, who was named First Team NABC All-District 6, First Team All-WAC and WAC Player of the Week three times, closed out the season ranked eighth all-time in assists (291) and tied for fourth in assists per game (4.7). He has 1,064 career points over two seasons as a Redhawk.
As a team, the Redhawks added themselves to the program's record book as their 209 three pointers ranks seventh for a single season and their collective free-throw percentage of 77.5 (506-653) ranks second best all-time, trailing only the 1944-45 team that went 145-172 from the line for an 84.3 average.
The team free-throw shooting also ranked among the best in the nation as their 77.5 percentage was 12th, free-throws made ranked 29th and free-throws attempted ranked 79th.
The Redhawks also finished second among all 350 Division I programs in fewest turnovers, and eighth in fewest turnovers per game (10.2).
In WAC play, Seattle U earned a trio of home-and-home sweeps, downing Chicago State, CSU Bakersfield and Utah Valley - the final in thrilling overtime fashion as Means banked home a runner from the left block with 1.5 seconds remaining for an 87-85 win in Orem. The victory in Bakersfield was also a first as WAC opponents and last achieved the 2010-11 season.
The Redhawks also earned a thrilling 95-89 win over Grand Canyon on Feb. 20, 2020, marking the second straight year of clinching a key win over the Lopes.
"I thought Morgan and Mattia were great senior leaders who had a great four-year run," said Hayford. "And while competing on the court, the team had the best season in team GPA in the classroom of our modern DI era. That is also certainly something to find great satisfaction in."
Along with Means, Seattle U's departing seniors included Mattia Da Campo, Delante Jones, Anand Hundal and Jordan Dallas.
The Redhawks would turn in a cumulative 3.245 GPA during the in-season winter quarter.