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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs VMI

SEATTLE – Winners of six straight, Seattle U men's basketball (7-1) concludes a seven-game homestand Sunday, hosting Virginia Military Institute (VMI) at Climate Pledge Arena. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. tip off against Keydets (4-4) out of the Southern Conference. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and can also be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM or kxsu.org.

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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs VMIGAME PREVIEW: MBB vs VMI

SEATTLE – Winners of six straight, Seattle U men's basketball (7-1) concludes a seven-game homestand Sunday, hosting Virginia Military Institute (VMI) at Climate Pledge Arena. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. tip off against Keydets (4-4) out of the Southern Conference. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and can also be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM or kxsu.org.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U won its sixth straight game on Dec. 1, besting McNeese State, 78-62, at Climate Pledge Arena.
  • The win gives the Redhawks a six-game win streak for the first time since winning six straight between Nov. 23-Dec. 6, 2018.
  • The 7-1 start to the season is also one of the best in recent history. The last time a Seattle U team started the year 7-1 was 2006-07.
  • The last time a Seattle U team started the season 8-1 was 1966-67. That team opened the year 7-0 before dropping it's first contest. They went on to win three more and sit at 10-1 before falling for the second time.
  • Three Redhawks reached double figures in the win over McNeese, led by Cameron Tyson's 23 points. Riley Grigsby added 17 points and Darrion Trammell chipped in 10.
  • Cameron Tyson scored his 23 points thanks to seven three pointers - the most 3s in a single game for a Redhawk since Matej Kavas drained 7-of-9 from deep against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 18, 2017. Tyson's personal single-game record is 10, set last season while playing for University of Houston. Seattle U's single-game record is nine, achieved twice, and last in 2005.
  • The Redhawks swiped 19 steals and forced 27 total turnovers against McNeese State. The 19 steals is the most for the team since collecting 20 steals against Linfield College on Jan. 13, 2009.
  • The Redhawks drained 12 three-pointers versus McNeese, marking the fourth time in the last five games that they have knocked down double-digits from deep.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE
This marks the first meeting between the Redhawks and VMI.

RAJKOVIĆ NAMED WAC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Viktor Rajković was named TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Freshman of the Week for November 22-28. The freshman forward from Mill Valley, Calif., had a breakout week for the Redhawks and helping lead the squad to three wins. His biggest game came in the week's finale, scoring 12 points to go with five rebounds in an 81-64 win over visiting St. Thomas (Minn.). On the week, he average 8.7 points to go with 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

EFFICIENT PRODUCTION
Cameron Tyson leads Seattle U in points (16.1 per game), rebounds (6.4 per game) and three-pointers (27), while doing so in just 28 minutes per game, which ranks third on the team. Tyson is shooting nearly 45% from the field and 42% from deep, where all but 10 of his field goals have come from. He is also a solid 12-for-15 (80%) from the charity stripe.

HEATING UP FROM THREE
Rip Economou has had a hot hand from beyond the arc over the last three games. The junior guard hit a combined 10-of-15 (67%) in the three wins, including a 6-for-8 performance that led to a career-high 20 points on Nov. 23 versus Pacific Lutheran. Economou is now 13-for-23 (57%) from three on the season.

NATIONAL RANKS
In games played through Dec. 2, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in nine team categories:

  • 12th in 3-pt FG per game (11.1)
  • 11th in 3-pt FGs made (89)
  • 20th in 3-pt FG attempts (228)
  • 33rd in 3-pt FG% (39.0)
  • 38th in FT% (76.5)
  • 45th in scoring margin (+15.9)
  • 46th in total assists (124)
  • 46th in assist to turnover ratio (1.38)
  • 47th in turnover margin (4.0)

In games played through Dec. 2, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in six individual categories:

REDHAWK RUNDOWN

  • As a team, the Redhawks collected 51 rebounds against St. Thomas on Nov. 27. The 51 boards marks the first time Seattle U has surpassed 50 rebounds since hauling in 61 on Nov. 12, 2017 against Puget Sound.
  • Rip Economou poured in a career-high 20 points in the win over PLU on Nov. 23. The junior guard connected on six threes, marking the second time this season a Redhawks has hit six triples in a game.
  • The 40 points allowed by Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 23 is the least scored by an opponent since an identical 89-40 win over Northwest on Dec. 13, 2020.
  • The Redhawks christened the basketball court at Climate Pledge Arena with a big 77-51 win over Idaho State on Nov. 14.
  • Riley Grigsby poured in a career-high 30 points on 11-of-21 FGs and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Cameron Tyson added 18 points and the Redhawks shot better than 65% from the field in the second half, snapping a 25-25 tie in the runaway victory over the Vandals.
  • Viktor Rajković came up two rebounds shy of a double-double in a breakout performance at Washington State on Nov. 14. After missing all of last season with a knee injury, he finished with 10 points and eight boards, including six on the offensive end.
  • Seattle U won its third straight season opener on Nov. 10 as Cameron Tyson drained a three with 0.8 seconds remaining, lifting the Redhawks to a 69-66 final over visiting Alcorn State.
  • Interim Head Coach Chris Victor earned his first NCAA Division I victory in the win over Alcorn State. Victor has 108 career wins as a head coach, previously leading Citrus College from 2011-15.
  • Seattle U returns to the heart of Seattle with eight of its 19 home games to be contested in the brand new Climate Pledge Arena. The Redhawks played nine seasons under the roof of Climate Pledge Arena's former moniker - KeyArena - before the building went under construction following the 2017-18 season.
  • Seattle U returns 92.3% of its points from a season ago, the 18th most among all teams across the nation.
  • The Redhawks also rank 18th in returning minutes, as 89.7% of all minutes played a season ago were in the hands of the 13 letterwinners back on the team this winter.
  • Assistant Coach D'Marques Tyson has earned the distinction of being the youngest assistant coach in all of Division I men's basketball this season. The Bothell, Wash., native who played four seasons at the University of Portland, was born Dec. 18, 1995. He is one of two assistant coaches to be just 25 years of age to begin this season. Tyson is younger than Tyler Wilson of Manhattan College by just 15 days.

GET YOUR TICKETS
Single-game tickets are available and may be purchased online at goseattleu.com/tix or over the phone at 206-398-GOSU. In compliance with the mandate from Washington state, Climate Pledge Arena requires all guests, ages 12 and over to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result.. More details are available at climatepledgearena.com/vaccinations. Fans ages 12 and older attending games at Seattle University's Redhawk Center will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result. More details are available at goseattleu.com.

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