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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs Utah State

SEATTLE – Seattle U (8-2) heads to the 2022 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic for its final three non-conference games. The Redhawks open play on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 12:30 p.m. HT/2:30 p.m. PT against Utah State on ESPNU. They will move on to face either Iona or SMU on Friday, Dec. 23. Host Hawaii, Pepperdine, Washington State and George Washington fill out the other half of the bracket. The tournament's final games will be contested on Christmas Day, either on ESPN2 or ESPNU. All games will be contested at Hawaii's SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs Utah StateGAME PREVIEW: MBB vs Utah State

SEATTLE – Seattle U (8-2) heads to the 2022 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic for its final three non-conference games. The Redhawks open play on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 12:30 p.m. HT/2:30 p.m. PT against Utah State on ESPNU. They will move on to face either Iona or SMU on Friday, Dec. 23. Host Hawaii, Pepperdine, Washington State and George Washington fill out the other half of the bracket. The tournament's final games will be contested on Christmas Day, either on ESPN2 or ESPNU. All games will be contested at Hawaii's SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U rebounded from just its second loss of the season with a 72-58 win over Alcorn State on Sunday, Dec. 18.
  • The win moved the Redhawks to a perfect 5-0 at home and marked a second straight win against the Braves.
  • Two Redhawks finished in double figures as Cameron Tyson and Paris Dawson each finished with 13 points. Tyson also led the team in rebounding with eight boards.
  • Following a three-game stretch of single-digit threes, the Redhawks knocked down 13-of-32 (40.6%) from deep.  That effort included a 6-for-12 performance in the second half.
  • On the flip side, Seattle U's defense held Alcorn State to just 1-for-16 from three, the fewest threes allowed by the Redhawks this season.
  • Seattle U trailed 31-29 at the half against the Braves, rallying in the second half for the 14-point win. The Redhawks are 3-0 in games where they trail at intermission.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS UTAH STATE
This marks the 32nd all-time meeting between Seattle U and Utah State with the Aggies holding a 17-14 edge in the series. The teams have three meetings in Seattle U's modern DI era, but none since the 2012-13 season. Utah State swept a home-and-home series that season, winning in Utah, 75-66, and 77-67 in Seattle. The Redhawks last won, 73-66, in Seattle on Jan. 19, 2012. The teams have two neutral site meetings on record, including an NCAA Tournament game in 1964. The Redhawks are 2-0 in neutral site meetings.

AGAINST IONA & SMU
Regardless of their result against Utah State in the opening round of the Diamond Head Classic, the Redhawks will face a new opponent in game-two as they have never matched up against Iona or SMU.

NATIONAL RANKS
In games played through Dec. 19, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in four team categories:

  • 9th in 3-pt attempts per game (29.3)
  • 11th in 3-pters per game (10.4)
  • 44th in winning percentage (80.0)
  • 49th in rebound margin (6.3)

In games played through Dec. 19, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in four individual categories:

NET RANKINGS
The first NET rankings of the season were released on Monday, Dec. 5 with Seattle U earning the highest position in ranking history – 61. In games played through Dec. 19, the Redhawks rank No. 105. The NET, which stands for NCAA Evaluation Tool, replaced the RPI for men's and women's basketball and helps determine which teams are selected for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season. Beginning this season, the system will now also be a factor used for seeding for the WAC Tournament.

EYEING 1,000
Alex Schumacher enters Thursday's game against Utah State with 991 career points, nine shy of the 1,000 point marker. The junior guard scored 886 points during three seasons (including a shortened 2019-20 season due to COVID), and has added 109 points through 10 games played as a Redhawk.

CAM CLIMBS THE CAREER THREES LIST
Through 10 games this season, Cameron Tyson has 33 threes, bringing his Seattle U career total to 138. That mark ranks No. 10 all-time at Seattle U. Sitting at No. 9 with 144 career threes are Mack Junior (1995-99) and Arne Klubberud (1995-99). The program record of 239 career threes is held by Aaron Waite (1988-92).

GRIGSBY HEADS TOWARDS LONGEVITY RECORDS
A rare fifth-year senior thanks to the extra year of eligibility allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Riley Grigsby will look to become Seattle U's all-time leader in games played in this season. Through nine game this season, Grigsby has appeared in 112 games, 12 shy of the all-time record held by William Powell (2014-17). Grigsby also sits in third with 3,004 minutes played, trailing No. 2 Powell (3,178 minutes) and all-time leader Morgan Means (2017-20, 3,737 minutes), who has returned to the program as a graduate assistant this year.

REDHAWK RUNDOWN

  • The overtime victory at North Dakota on Dec. 10 marked the first extra time game played this season. In Head Coach Chris Victor's one-plus year tenure, the Redhawks now have two overtime games, going 2-0 in the contests. Victor's first OT win was a 92-85 final Jan. 17, 2022 at California Baptist.
  • The Redhawks have rallied from double-digit deficits and gone on to win twice this season. The first was a 14-point spread against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 30 at Climate Pledge Arena. The Redhawks won the match-up, 69-62. The second was a 17-point hole at North Dakota on Dec. 10. In that match-up, Seattle U rallied and, in overtime, Alex Schumacher hit the game-winning shot for an 80-78 victory.
  • The five straight wins to start this season marked the best unbeaten start to a season since 2007-08 (the final year Seattle U competed as a DII member), when they went 6-0 before dropping a game.
  • Cameron Tyson was named WAC Player of the Week for his performances during the opening week of play, which included averaging 33.5 points, 7.5 threes and 5.5 rebounds per game. He shot better than 56% from the field, including 8-for-13 (55.6%) from three.
  • Seattle U won its sixth straight home opener with a 106-55 final over University of Puget Sound on Nov. 9 at the Redhawk Center.
  • Seattle U won its fourth consecutive season opener, downing the Tritons of UC San Diego, 85-71, on Nov. 7.

SAN FRANCISCO ON MY MIND
Over the past three seasons, Seattle U has found a hotbed of talent who began their collegiate careers at City College of San Francisco. A total of five players have gone from the Rams' program to the Redhawks. In 2022-23, junior Seyi Reiley joins senior Emeka Udenyi on the Seattle U squad. Reiley, a Negri, Jamaica native, led the Rams to a CCCAA State Championship in 2021-22, while being named Coast Conference Player of the Year, Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-State. During his two years at CCSF, Reiley compiled a 60-1 record. Previous Rams-to-Redhawks included Darrion Trammell, Nate Robinson and Kyree Brown.

UP NEXT
Following the conclusion of the Diamond Head Classic, the Redhawks return home to Seattle to open Western Athletic Conference play, beginning Dec. 31 against California Baptist. Tip off from the Redhawk Center is set for 3 p.m.

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