LAS VEGAS – Nate Robinson exploded for a career-high 27 points, four players finished in double figures and a second-half defensive stand made all the difference as Seattle U men's basketball earned a convincing 83-66 win over California Baptist in the opening game of the 2021 Hercules Tires Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
The fifth-seeded Redhawks advance to Friday's semifinals where they will face top-seed Grand Canyon at 5 p.m. PT on ESPN+. The marks the second time under Head Coach Jim Hayford that the Redhawks have advanced to the tournament's semifinals. Seattle U earned a 77-60 win over UTRGV in 2018 for their 20th win of that season. The 2020-21 Redhawks move to 12-10 on the year.
Seattle U led for much of the first half, shooting better than 53 percent from the field and hitting 7-of-14 from deep for a 42-37 advantage at the break. Robinson and Darrion Trammell paced the Redhawks in the frame, each totaling 13 points.
The Lancers (13-10 overall) would roar out of the gates in the second as a Reed Nottage three and Ty Rowell layup quickly knotted the score at 42-all.
Robinson would score the next eight straight points for Seattle U, including a pair of threes. His third three of the half would open back up a 55-48 advantage and a big and-1 by Riley Grigsby would cap a 10-1 run that pushed the spread into double-digits with 10 minutes to play.
Seattle U's offense continued to roll in the half, but it was the defensive effort on the Lancers that opened things up. CBU would hit just 8-of-25 in the second half, including 3-of-11 from three by a squad that averages nearly 40 percent from deep as a team.
Robinson finished 10-fo-17 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three, for his 27 points. The junior added three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Trammell had 26 points and four assists while Emeka Udenyi collected his second straight double-double, finishing with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Grigsby rounded out the double digit scorers with 12 points, including three big triples in the first half.
CBU was paced by Gorjok Gak with 17 points and 11 boards. Tre Armstrong had 15 points and Nottage chipped in 11.
The match-up was the third in just seven days for the Redhawks and Lancers, who concluded the regular-season of WAC play with a pair of games in Riverside, Calif., on March 5 and 6. Seattle U won the first game of that back-to-back series, 80-79, before the Lancers rebounded with a 79-76 win in the second meeting. Thursday's rubber match of sorts was decided by the largest spread (17 points) in the all-time series history.
The fifth-seeded Redhawks advance to Friday's semifinals where they will face top-seed Grand Canyon at 5 p.m. PT on ESPN+. The marks the second time under Head Coach Jim Hayford that the Redhawks have advanced to the tournament's semifinals. Seattle U earned a 77-60 win over UTRGV in 2018 for their 20th win of that season. The 2020-21 Redhawks move to 12-10 on the year.
Seattle U led for much of the first half, shooting better than 53 percent from the field and hitting 7-of-14 from deep for a 42-37 advantage at the break. Robinson and Darrion Trammell paced the Redhawks in the frame, each totaling 13 points.
The Lancers (13-10 overall) would roar out of the gates in the second as a Reed Nottage three and Ty Rowell layup quickly knotted the score at 42-all.
Robinson would score the next eight straight points for Seattle U, including a pair of threes. His third three of the half would open back up a 55-48 advantage and a big and-1 by Riley Grigsby would cap a 10-1 run that pushed the spread into double-digits with 10 minutes to play.
Seattle U's offense continued to roll in the half, but it was the defensive effort on the Lancers that opened things up. CBU would hit just 8-of-25 in the second half, including 3-of-11 from three by a squad that averages nearly 40 percent from deep as a team.
Postgame presser with @CoachHayford and @nate28robinson following tonight's #WACVegas win.https://t.co/Z6pK4NV09p
— Seattle U Men's Basketball (@seattleumbb) March 12, 2021
Robinson finished 10-fo-17 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three, for his 27 points. The junior added three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Trammell had 26 points and four assists while Emeka Udenyi collected his second straight double-double, finishing with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Grigsby rounded out the double digit scorers with 12 points, including three big triples in the first half.
Highlights from tonight's first-round win at #WACVegas pic.twitter.com/Cl8Xa4E879
— Seattle U Men's Basketball (@seattleumbb) March 12, 2021
CBU was paced by Gorjok Gak with 17 points and 11 boards. Tre Armstrong had 15 points and Nottage chipped in 11.
The match-up was the third in just seven days for the Redhawks and Lancers, who concluded the regular-season of WAC play with a pair of games in Riverside, Calif., on March 5 and 6. Seattle U won the first game of that back-to-back series, 80-79, before the Lancers rebounded with a 79-76 win in the second meeting. Thursday's rubber match of sorts was decided by the largest spread (17 points) in the all-time series history.
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