SEATTLE – Seattle U men's basketball (6-5) opens the New Year with a late addition to its non-conference slate, a Saturday, Jan. 9 match-up against Saint Martin's University. The game will mark the 12th this season for the Redhawks while the Saints will take the floor for the first time this year. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. Pacific from the Redhawk Center. The game will stream live on the WAC Digital Network and can be heard live on KTTH 770 AM and mynorthwest.com.
FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS
- Saturday, Jan. 9 at 6:00 p.m. PT
- Seattle U (6-5) vs. Saint Martin's (0-0)
- Redhawk Center, Seattle, WA
- Live Stats
- Listen on KTTH 770 AM
- Watch on WAC Digital Network
- Game Notes
ABOUT THE SERIES VS SAINT MARTIN'S
The Redhawks and Saints have a long history of meeting dating back to 1947, but this marks the first time, outside of exhibition play, that they have met since competing as DII rivals in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2008.
The Redhawks hold a 39-26 all-time advantage, meeting 10 times in the 40's and 50's, then regularly through the 80's, 90's and early 2000's as Pacific Northwest rivals and conference foes. They last met in Seattle U's final season as a member of the GNAC, in 2007-08, with each team winning on their home court.
The most recent meeting overall was an exhibition contest on Oct. 23, 2019. Seattle U won 92-71 in the Redhawk Center behind 23 points from Terrell Brown and 15 each from Myles Carter and Riley Grigsby.
SAINTS TIES
Seattle U Associate Head Coach Alex Pribble spent four seasons as the head coach at Saint Martin's prior to joining Jim Hayford's staff for the 2019-20 season. Pribble led the Saints to an 83-40 (.675) record in his four seasons, including back-to-back historic seasons for the Saints. The 2018-19 season was a banner year as Pribble led the Saints to a school record 26 wins - breaking last season's record - the program's first Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season championship, a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament appearance and the school's first-ever Sweet 16. SMU also achieved the highest national ranking in school history, peaking at No. 8 in the media poll at the end of the regular season. Pribble was named the GNAC's Coach of the Year to cap a stellar run at the helm of the program.
QUICK HITS
- Seattle U moved to 6-5 on the season following an 84-68 win over Portland on Dec. 30.
- The win over the Pilots was the second of the season for the Redhawks, who also won at the Chiles Center,
- 84-72, in the first game of the season on Nov. 25.
- The home-and-home sweep of the Pilots moves Seattle U to 5-0 against its Pacific Northwest rival since Head Coach Jim Hayford took over the Redhawk reigns.
- Three players collected double-doubles in the Dec. 30 win over UP including Darrion Trammell (25 points, 13 assists), Riley Grigsby (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Jared Pearre (18 points, 10 rebounds).
- Jared Pearre added four blocks to his double-double against Portland in his biggest performance of the season thus far. His 18 points were his highest as a Redhawk and one point off his all-time career-high set during his time at CSUN.
- The win over Portland on Dec. 30 marked Seattle U's fifth consecutive home victory, stretching back to Feb. 20, 2020 when the streak began with a 95-89 win over Grand Canyon.
TRAMMELL NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Darrion Trammell was named TicketSmarter WAC Player of the Week for December 28 through January 3. The sophomore guard from Marin City, Calif., helped Seattle U end 2020 on a high note, scoring 25 points to go with 13 assists in an 84-68 win over Portland, the second win over the Pilots this season. He stayed on the court for 39 minutes to earn his first double-double of the season as he led SU in scoring for the fifth time this year. His points and assists led to Trammell having a hand in 53 of the Redhawks' 84 points on the night. He also added three rebounds, one steal and one block. On the season, he is second in the WAC in scoring at 17.5 points per game and his 6.2 assists per game are a league best.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
For a second consecutive season, the Redhawks are among the nation's best in taking care of the basketball. In games played through Jan. 6, Seattle U ranks No. 19 nationally in turnover margin (5.1) and 24th in turnovers per game (10.6). Both of those marks top the WAC. In six of 11 games this year, they have kept giveaways to single digits. Last season, the Redhawks finished second nationally in fewest turnovers, and eighth in fewest turnovers per game (10.2).
BREAKOUT SEASON
As a sophomore in 2019-20, Riley Grigsby averaged 9.7 points while shooting 38 percent from the field and 23 percent from three. Through 11 games this year, the now junior leads Seattle U, and the WAC, in scoring at 18.1 ppg to go along with 5.1 rpg. He is shooting better than 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from three. His FG total (77) has already surpassed his total from last year and his 25 3-pointers has also eclipsed his 2019-20 total of 22. He has scored in double figures in all but one game, and has surpassed 20 points five times, including a career-high 28 points in the season opener at Portland.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Seattle U has compiled a 245-153 (.616) record in the Redhawk Center, including a 15-game winning streak that began Nov. 5, 2008 with a perfect 10-0 mark during the 2008-09 season. In 2017-18, the Redhawks went 9-1, in 2018-19, the Redhawks went 12-6 and in 2019-20 they were 9-3. In 2020-21, Seattle U is 3-0 at the Redhawk Center.