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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Chicago State

SEATTLE – An opportunity for a first-ever Western Athletic Conference championship is on the line Saturday as Seattle U men's basketball (22-8, 13-4 WAC) closes out the regular season at home, hosting Chicago State (7-23, 3-14 WAC). The Redhawks will honor seniors Aaron Nettles and Matt Vail in a pregame ceremony prior to the 1 p.m. tip-off in the Redhawk Center. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+, and can be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM in Seattle or kxsu.org.

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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Chicago StateGAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Chicago State

SEATTLE – An opportunity for a first-ever Western Athletic Conference championship is on the line Saturday as Seattle U men's basketball (22-8, 13-4 WAC) closes out the regular season at home, hosting Chicago State (7-23, 3-14 WAC). The Redhawks will honor seniors Aaron Nettles and Matt Vail in a pregame ceremony prior to the 1 p.m. tip-off in the Redhawk Center. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+, and can be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM in Seattle or kxsu.org.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

WHAT'S AT STAKE

  • Seattle U enters Saturday's regular-season finale at 13-4 and in a three-way tie for first in the WAC standings alongside NM State and Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston trails by a half game having completed its WAC slate at 13-5. Grand Canyon sits one game back at 12-5.
  • A win on Saturday over Chicago State guarantees Seattle U at least a share of the WAC regular-season championship.
  • A WAC regular-season title would represent the first-ever conference title as a Division I member, and just the second conference title all-time. The 2006-07 Seattle U squad tied for first in the Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
  • A potential 23rd win mark just the sixth time in program history the feat has been achieved. The last 23-win team was the 1957-58 NCAA runner-up squad led by Elgin Baylor.
  • Conference tie breaker rules will help determine seeding for next week's WAC Tournament in Las Vegas.

INTERIM TAG REMOVED, CHRIS VICTOR NAMED HEAD COACH
Amidst guiding the Redhawks through a historically successful season, Chris Victor has been named Seattle U's head coach, Director of Athletics Shaney Fink announced Tuesday. Victor, who has served as interim head coach during the 2021-22 season, will be the 18th head coach in Seattle University history.

"I am thrilled to announce Chris Victor as head coach of Seattle U men's basketball," Fink said. "Coach Victor's basketball acumen is matched by his tremendous character. He is a thoughtful, authentic leader who is laser focused on creating an environment that brings out the best in each member of the team. Coach Victor is a fierce competitor who will continue to lead Redhawk basketball to new heights."

Victor has led Seattle U to a 22-8 record to date, including a 13-4 mark in the Western Athletic Conference. The run through the 2021-22 season has included a 9-4 non-conference record, 16-2 home record and a nine-game win streak that included an 8-0 start to WAC play for the first time in 10 years competing in the league. Victor's Redhawks took just 26 games to reach 20 wins, marking the 15th 20-win season in program history. The 22-win marker was last achieved in 1963-64.

"I am grateful to President Peñalver and Shaney Fink for the incredible opportunity to continue to lead this basketball program, and it is an honor to serve as the head men's basketball coach at this prestigious university," said Victor. "I am excited for what still lies ahead this season for this special group, and look forward to building on the success we have achieved and the energy being generated around the program. My family and I couldn't be happier to be in Seattle and continue establishing our roots here."

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U closed out its final road trip of the regular season on Feb. 26 with a 73-65 win at Dixie State.
  • The win moved the Redhawks to 22-8 on the season and 13-4 in WAC play.
  • The road victory was the sixth of the season, the most road wins for Seattle U since winning six in 2009-10.
  • The 22-win mark was last achieved in 1963-64, and has been achieved just nine times in program history.
  • Four Redhawks scored in double figures at Dixie State, paced by Darrion Trammell's 16 points.
  • Riley Grigsby added 11 points while Cameron Tyson and Emeka Udenyi had 10 each. Vasja Pandža and Viktor Rajković added eight points each.
  • Seattle U shot nearly 59 percent in the second half at Dixie State, the third best shooting percentage for a half this season. The Redhawks shot 66 percent in the second half against Idaho State on Nov. 14 and 65 percent in the second half against Northwest.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS CHICAGO STATE
Saturday's meeting will be the 16th time that Seattle U has faced Chicago State, with the Redhawks holding the 13-2 series edge. This is just the second meeting in just over two years as the Cougars did not travel to Seattle the final week or regular season play in 2019-20, then opted out of conference play during 2020-21.

In the first meeting this season, Seattle U stretched it's win streak to 13 with a 93-77 win over the Cougars in Chicago. Darrion Trammell poured in 30 points, Emeka Udenyi and Cameron Tyson added 16 points apiece and Riley Grigsby chipped in 14 in the WAC season opener.

This marks the last regular-season meeting between the Redhawks and Cougars as Chicago State will depart the WAC at the end of the 2021-22 season.

BEST FIRST SEASON AT THE HELM
As Interim Head Coach Chris Victor leads the Redhawks through program's 15th 20-win season, he has entered elite territory among Seattle U coaches who have achieved the feat in their first season. Just four other coaches in Seattle U history have reached or surpassed 20 wins in their first season at the helm:

  • 22 wins - John Castellani, 1956-57, 22-3
  • 22 wins - Bob Boyd , 1963-64, 22-6
  • 22 wins - Chris Victor, 2021-22, 22-8 (thru games on 2/26/22)
  • 21 wins - Vincent Cazzetta, 1958-59, 21-6
  • 20 wins - Jim Hayford, 2017-18, 20-14

TRAMMELL THE THIEF

  • Darrion Trammell has been ranked among the nation's best in steals this season, and is now swiping his way into the Seattle U record book.
  • With four steals on Feb. 26 at Dixie State, he hit 76 for the season, good for 3rd in Seattle U's single-season record book.
  • Next on the list is Andre Lang (1993-94) in 2nd with 77 steals.
  • Topping the Seattle U single-season steals list is Ray Brooks (1984-85) with 84.
  • Trammell also has 117 career steals and sits just shy of breaking into the Seattle U career top-10.

TYSON FOR THREE

  • Cameron Tyson drained nine three pointers on Feb. 16 at UTRGV, matching the Seattle U single-game record. The feat was previously achieved first by Aaron Waite on Jan. 6, 1990 versus Alaska Pacific, then matched by Bernard Seals on Mar. 3, 2005 versus Western Washington.
  • With 97 made threes through 30 games, Cameron Tyson is 3rd on Seattle U's single-season top-10 list for single season three pointers.
  • Tyson now trails only Isiah Umipig who holds the top two single-season records.
  • Umipig drained 106 threes in 2013-14, then followed with 123 threes in 2014-15.
  • Tyson's personal single-game record is 10, set last season against Our Lady of the Lake while playing for University of Houston.

TEAM THREE POINT RECORD WATCH
The Redhawks have drained 291 three pointers this season, ranking among the best in the country. The total ranks second for a single-season in Seattle U's all-time record book. The 2021-22 squad currently sits 21 made 3s behind the program record of 312, set in 2017-18.

NEXT TO 1,000
While Riley Grigsby surpassed 1,000 career points on Jan. 28 versus Sam Houston, two more Redhawks have the milestone marker in eyesight. Cameron Tyson enters Seattle U's March 5 game against Chicago State 28 points shy of 1,000 (972 career points to date) during his NCAA DI collegiate career. Darrion Trammell also needs just 51 points to reach 1,000 (949 career points to date).

NATIONAL RANKS
In games played through March 2, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in 10 team categories:

  • 10th in 3-pt FG attempts (866)
  • 15th in 3-pt FG per game (9.7)
  • 17th in 3-pt FGs made (291)
  • 19th in FT% (77.1)
  • 19th in turnover margin (3.7)
  • 29th in defensive rebounds per game (27.63)
  • 34th in FG% defense (40.3)
  • 39th in turnovers forced (15.13)
  • 47th in won-loss % (73.3)
  • 49th in total rebounds (1,122)

In games played through March 3, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in 10 individual categories:

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
So far this season, Seattle U is 8-1 in the Redhawk Center. The Redhawks also completed nine games at Climate Pledge Arena with an 8-1 record.

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