SEATTLE – Western Athletic Conference play opened with an overtime thriller for Seattle University men's basketball. But the Redhawks would end up on the wrong end of an exciting finish Friday night in the Redhawk Center as Utah Valley's Trey Woodbury knocked down the game-winning three-pointer in a 93-92 finish.
Seattle U moved to 7-6 on the season and 0-1 in WAC play while the Wolverines improved to 5-5 on the year and remain unbeaten in league play at 3-0.
The game took nearly 2:40 and featured 16 ties, 14 lead changes, 58 fouls and 81 free-throw attempts. Four players fouled out of the game, including Darrion Trammell and Riley Grigsby for the Redhawks. Trammell, who led Seattle U with 26 points, picked up his fifth foul with four minutes remaining in regulation. Grigsby would foul out with 1:19 remaining in overtime, finishing the night with 20 points.
Seattle U also got 19 points from Nettles and 10 from Vas Pandža, who entered the game for the first time with 3:52 remaining.
Utah Valley got a game-high 29 points from Fardaws Aimaq. Jamison Overton had 21 points and Woodbury finished with 20.
"What a battle," said Head Coach Jim Hayford. "With Darrion fouling out, with Riley fouling out, we had a lot of different guys who made some really big time plays. But (Utah Valley) made the last winning play. We took care of the ball, we had a great night at the free throw line, we just needed one more basket or one more stop."
The Redhawks used a 13-0 run midway through the first half to open up a 27-15 advantage. Utah Valley would whittle the spread down slowly late in the frame, and take a brief lead, 37-36, on an Aimaq layup with 2:39 on the clock. But back-to-back buckets from Trey Hopkins and Trammell put Seattle U back on top, 40-37, and Trammell would bury a big three heading into the break for a 43-39 advantage.
With the score tied 54-54, Seattle U reeled off nine straight points to open up a 63-54 advantage with 11:32 to play. But the Wolverines would slowly close the gap again, eventually taking their first lead of the half on a Blaze Field three with 3:54 to play.
Pandža hit a big corner three just inside two minutes to play to give Seattle U an 80-76 advantage, but the Wolverines would force extra time with the final two baskets of regulation.
Fifteen of the 25 points in overtime came from the charity stripe as the Redhawks went 7-for-10 and the Wolverines hit 8-of-10. Two free throws by Pandža and one of two my Jared Pearre had the Redhawks ahead 92-90 with 14 ticks remaining. But on the ensuing possession, Woodbury would get free at the top of the circle off a screen to drain the game-winner for UVU.
"There is emotional energy when you win this one that you can draft off of tomorrow, and it takes a little more coaching and character when you lose the heartbreaker to get it put back," said Hayford. "But I like our guys and that's what the situation calls for and the guys are going to respond."
The Redhawks and Wolverines will return to action Saturday at 6 p.m. for the second of the two-game series.
Seattle U moved to 7-6 on the season and 0-1 in WAC play while the Wolverines improved to 5-5 on the year and remain unbeaten in league play at 3-0.
The game took nearly 2:40 and featured 16 ties, 14 lead changes, 58 fouls and 81 free-throw attempts. Four players fouled out of the game, including Darrion Trammell and Riley Grigsby for the Redhawks. Trammell, who led Seattle U with 26 points, picked up his fifth foul with four minutes remaining in regulation. Grigsby would foul out with 1:19 remaining in overtime, finishing the night with 20 points.
Seattle U also got 19 points from Nettles and 10 from Vas Pandža, who entered the game for the first time with 3:52 remaining.
Utah Valley got a game-high 29 points from Fardaws Aimaq. Jamison Overton had 21 points and Woodbury finished with 20.
"What a battle," said Head Coach Jim Hayford. "With Darrion fouling out, with Riley fouling out, we had a lot of different guys who made some really big time plays. But (Utah Valley) made the last winning play. We took care of the ball, we had a great night at the free throw line, we just needed one more basket or one more stop."
The Redhawks used a 13-0 run midway through the first half to open up a 27-15 advantage. Utah Valley would whittle the spread down slowly late in the frame, and take a brief lead, 37-36, on an Aimaq layup with 2:39 on the clock. But back-to-back buckets from Trey Hopkins and Trammell put Seattle U back on top, 40-37, and Trammell would bury a big three heading into the break for a 43-39 advantage.
With the score tied 54-54, Seattle U reeled off nine straight points to open up a 63-54 advantage with 11:32 to play. But the Wolverines would slowly close the gap again, eventually taking their first lead of the half on a Blaze Field three with 3:54 to play.
Pandža hit a big corner three just inside two minutes to play to give Seattle U an 80-76 advantage, but the Wolverines would force extra time with the final two baskets of regulation.
Fifteen of the 25 points in overtime came from the charity stripe as the Redhawks went 7-for-10 and the Wolverines hit 8-of-10. Two free throws by Pandža and one of two my Jared Pearre had the Redhawks ahead 92-90 with 14 ticks remaining. But on the ensuing possession, Woodbury would get free at the top of the circle off a screen to drain the game-winner for UVU.
"There is emotional energy when you win this one that you can draft off of tomorrow, and it takes a little more coaching and character when you lose the heartbreaker to get it put back," said Hayford. "But I like our guys and that's what the situation calls for and the guys are going to respond."
The Redhawks and Wolverines will return to action Saturday at 6 p.m. for the second of the two-game series.