SEATTLE – Seattle University women's basketball grinded out a 59-47 win over Tarleton State Saturday afternoon. For the second straight day, SU (6-7, 2-2 WAC) held the Texans to unsightly shooting in a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) contest at the Redhawk Center.
"Our defense won the game for us today," said SU Coach Suzy Barcomb. "We scored enough points to take some pressure off our defense. We were a little flat and at halftime, we made some changes. We held them to single digits in three different quarters, so that's big to get a win."
Neither team gained much separation through three periods, as Seattle U grabbed a 42-39 advantage with 10 minutes to play. McKenzi Williams assisted on a Bree Calhoun layup and then Calhoun sank two free throws to make it 46-39 with 7:33 remaining. The Redhawk defense continued to excel and then Georgia Kehoe finished inside. A Chinwe Ezeonu basket gave SU a 50-39 lead with 4:02 to go. The visitors were unable to get closer than seven down the stretch as the Redhawks completed the weekend sweep.
SU forced Tarleton into 23.6 percent shooting on the day, including 2-16 accuracy in the fourth quarter. The Redhawks outrebounded the Texans, 43-36, and held a 40-14 advantage on points in the paint.
Williams, Calhoun, Kehoe, and Irena Korolenko each scored nine points. Peyton Howard added eight points off the bench. Kehoe pulled down eight rebounds, while Calhoun dropped eight assists for the second straight outing.
It was a defensive struggle in the first period, as both sides forced contested shots and turnovers in the first 10 minutes. Tarleton scored first and Kehoe scored SU's first points less than a minute into the game. The score remained even at 2 for three more minutes. Another Kehoe basket made it 4-all with 4:03 left in the frame. Williams hit a wing jumper for the Redhawks' first lead of the day. Irena Korolenko swished a trey to expand the margin and a Maddy Phillips' layup made it 11-7 in the closing minute of the period. Tarleton converted two foul shots to get within 11-9 after a quarter.
The visitors tied it early in the second, but Peyton Howard's skip pass set up a Calhoun three-ball for a 14-11 advantage. After a 7-0 Texan spurt, Howard and Korolenko each scored to make it 18-all at the 6:28 mark. Calhoun drove and found a cutting Korolenko for a lay-in and the lead midway through the period. A Makenna Schoenhofer triple gave SU a bigger margin before Tarleton rallied to tie it at 23. Ezeonu followed with a hoop and a Williams steal initiated a Calhoun transition bucket. A late Korolenko layup gave the hosts a three-point lead late, but the visitors capped the half with a tying three to make it 30-30 at the break.
Williams and Kehoe each scored to start the third and force a Tarleton timeout. The Texans rallied, though, taking a 35-34 edge midway through the quarter. Phillips finished a Calhoun assist to regain the lead, but Tarleton hit a three on the other end. Howard drove and scored to tie the game at 38 with 3:06 left in the third. Layups by Schoenhofer and Williams gave the Redhawks a 42-38 margin late before a Texan foul shot made it a three-point game heading into the fourth period.
SU travels to Chicago State for a pair of WAC contests next weekend.
"Our defense won the game for us today," said SU Coach Suzy Barcomb. "We scored enough points to take some pressure off our defense. We were a little flat and at halftime, we made some changes. We held them to single digits in three different quarters, so that's big to get a win."
Neither team gained much separation through three periods, as Seattle U grabbed a 42-39 advantage with 10 minutes to play. McKenzi Williams assisted on a Bree Calhoun layup and then Calhoun sank two free throws to make it 46-39 with 7:33 remaining. The Redhawk defense continued to excel and then Georgia Kehoe finished inside. A Chinwe Ezeonu basket gave SU a 50-39 lead with 4:02 to go. The visitors were unable to get closer than seven down the stretch as the Redhawks completed the weekend sweep.
SU forced Tarleton into 23.6 percent shooting on the day, including 2-16 accuracy in the fourth quarter. The Redhawks outrebounded the Texans, 43-36, and held a 40-14 advantage on points in the paint.
Williams, Calhoun, Kehoe, and Irena Korolenko each scored nine points. Peyton Howard added eight points off the bench. Kehoe pulled down eight rebounds, while Calhoun dropped eight assists for the second straight outing.
It was a defensive struggle in the first period, as both sides forced contested shots and turnovers in the first 10 minutes. Tarleton scored first and Kehoe scored SU's first points less than a minute into the game. The score remained even at 2 for three more minutes. Another Kehoe basket made it 4-all with 4:03 left in the frame. Williams hit a wing jumper for the Redhawks' first lead of the day. Irena Korolenko swished a trey to expand the margin and a Maddy Phillips' layup made it 11-7 in the closing minute of the period. Tarleton converted two foul shots to get within 11-9 after a quarter.
The visitors tied it early in the second, but Peyton Howard's skip pass set up a Calhoun three-ball for a 14-11 advantage. After a 7-0 Texan spurt, Howard and Korolenko each scored to make it 18-all at the 6:28 mark. Calhoun drove and found a cutting Korolenko for a lay-in and the lead midway through the period. A Makenna Schoenhofer triple gave SU a bigger margin before Tarleton rallied to tie it at 23. Ezeonu followed with a hoop and a Williams steal initiated a Calhoun transition bucket. A late Korolenko layup gave the hosts a three-point lead late, but the visitors capped the half with a tying three to make it 30-30 at the break.
Williams and Kehoe each scored to start the third and force a Tarleton timeout. The Texans rallied, though, taking a 35-34 edge midway through the quarter. Phillips finished a Calhoun assist to regain the lead, but Tarleton hit a three on the other end. Howard drove and scored to tie the game at 38 with 3:06 left in the third. Layups by Schoenhofer and Williams gave the Redhawks a 42-38 margin late before a Texan foul shot made it a three-point game heading into the fourth period.
SU travels to Chicago State for a pair of WAC contests next weekend.