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GAME PREVIEW: MBB at NM State

SEATTLE – Seattle U men's basketball (16-7, 7-3 WAC) heads back out on the road, looking to right its ship following a season-long, three-game skid. The Redhawks head to Las Cruces, N.M., for a Saturday, Feb. 4 meeting with NM State (8-14, 1-9 WAC) in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Pan American Center. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and can also be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM in Seattle or kxsu.org.

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GAME PREVIEW: MBB at NM StateGAME PREVIEW: MBB at NM State

SEATTLE – Seattle U men's basketball (16-7, 7-3 WAC) heads back out on the road, looking to right its ship following a season-long, three-game skid. The Redhawks head to Las Cruces, N.M., for a Saturday, Feb. 4 meeting with NM State (8-14, 1-9 WAC) in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Pan American Center. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and can also be hear over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM in Seattle or kxsu.org.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • The Redhawks stand at 16-7 overall and 7-3 in Western Athletic Conference play.
  • They suffered their first home defeat of the season on Wednesday, Feb. 1, falling 83-68 to Abilene Christian at Climate Pledge Arena.
  • The home loss snapped a 10-game home win streak dating back to last season. The Redhawks are 9-1 at home this year, including 7-0 at the Redhawk Center and 2-1 at Climate Pledge.
  • Seattle U has lost three consecutive games for the first time since early in the 2020-21 season when they dropped four straight on the road between Nov. 30 and Dec. 9.
  • Alex Schumacher had 16 points to lead a trio of Redhawks scoring in double figures. Riley Grigsby had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double. Brandton Chatfield added 10 points.
  • Making his 125th career appearance on Wednesday, Feb. 1 versus ACU, Riley Grigsby became Seattle U's all-time leader in career games played.
  • Seattle U has six true road wins this season, matching last year's six road victories, which is the most in the program's  modern DI era.
  • The Redhawks have never won at the Pan American Center as NMSU holds a 9-0 advantage.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS NM STATE
This will be the 66th meeting all-time between Seattle U and NM State. The Aggies hold a 21-5 advantage over the Redhawks in the all-time series. Three of Seattle U's wins have come in the last 11 meetings, including a 69-66 win in the first of two regular-season meetings this season. The Redhawk win at Climate Pledge Arena on Jan. 12, snapped a three-game Aggie win streak in the series. Riley Grigsby had 27 points, Alex Schumacher added 18 and Cameron Tyson had 14 points as the Redhawks shot 60% from the field in the second half. The Redhawks snapped a five-game Aggie win streak on Feb. 12, 2021 in Seattle with an 83-72 victory. Four Redhawks scored in double figures in the win including Darrion Trammell (22), Aaron Nettles (12), Emeka Udenyi (12) and Riley Grigsby (10). Prior to that, Seattle U's last victory came on Feb. 17, 2018. On Senior Day at KeyArena, Jordan Hill poured in 24 points and Josh Hearlihy added 19 as Seattle U snapped a seven-game skid against the Aggies with a 73-63 OT victory.

UNBEATEN WHEN...
...the game is decided by 10 points or less (6-0)
...five players score in double figures (4-0)
...holding opponents under 40% from the field (9-0)

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN PART 1
Through 23 games this season, Cameron Tyson has 70 threes, bringing his Seattle U career total to 175. That mark puts Tyson in sole possession of fourth all-time. Next on the list with the third most career threes is Matej Kavas (2016-19) with 177. The program record of 239 career threes is held by Aaron Waite (1988-92). Riley Grigsby has also entered the career top-10 in three pointers, currently ranking sixth with 152.

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN PART 2
Kobe Williamson and Riley Grigsby both rank in the top 10 for career blocked shots. Williamson enters Saturday's game at NM State with 86 blocks, good for third all-time. Grigsby sits in seventh with 75 career blocks. The all-time record of 109 blocks is held by Aaron Menzies (2015-18). Ranked second is Josh McMillion (1993-96) with 95 blocks.

TRIO OF 1,000-POINT SCORERS
Alex Schumacher's made free throw at the 16:29 mark of the second half against Iona on Dec. 23 gave the junior guard 1,000 for his career. He scored 886 points during three seasons (including a shortened 2019-20 season due to COVID), and has added 268 points through 23 games played as a Redhawk for 1,150 career points and counting. Shumacher's achievement gives the Redhawks three 1,000-point scorers on the squad as Cameron Tyson sits at 1,397 points for his career and Riley Grigsby has 1,375 career points.

GRIGSBY CAPTURES LONGEVITY RECORD
A rare fifth-year senior thanks to the extra year of eligibility allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Riley Grigsby became Seattle U's all-time leader in games played on Wednesday, Feb 1 versus Abilene Christian by marking his 125th career appearance. Grigsby surpassed the previous all-time record of 124, also held by William Powell (2014-17). With his 36 minutes played versus Abilene Christian on Feb. 1, Grigsby continues to close the career minutes played gap, though still in second with 3,419. He recently passed now No. 3 Powell (3,178 minutes) still trails all-time leader Morgan Means (2017-20, 3,737 minutes), who has returned to the program as a graduate assistant this year, by 318 minutes.

NATIONAL RANKS

In games played through Feb. 2, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in three team categories:
  • 8th in 3-pt attempts per game (28.4)
  • 28th in 3-pters per game (9.0)
  • 41st in rebounds per game (38.22)

In games played through Feb. 2, 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 Feb. 2, the Redhawks rank 124. 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.

REDHAWKS RECEIVE VOTES IN COACHES POLL
Following a a 7-0 start to WAC play, the Redhawks were among the teams receiving votes in the Jan. 23 USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll. The four votes in the Monday poll marks the Redhawks first-ever appearance in the Coaches Poll (which dates back to 1991-92) and first recognition in a Division I national poll since the 1964-65 season (began the season ranked 15th in the preseason AP poll).

WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

  • Riley Grigsby was named WAC Player of the Week (Jan. 16-22) for a second consecutive week after averaging 23 points and 6.5 rebounds in two Redhawk wins.
  • Riley Grigsby was named WAC Player of the Week (Jan. 9-15) after averaging 23 points and 8.5 rebounds while leading Seattle U to a 2-0 week of WAC play.
  • 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.

VICTOR NAMED HOOPDIRT.COM DI COACH OF THE WEEK
Head Coach Chris Victor was named Hoopdirt.com DI Coach of the Week after leading Seattle U to a 2-0 week that included a home win over NM State and a huge road victory at Utah Valley. This marked the second such award for Victor, who also earned the honor once last season.

REDHAWK RUNDOWN

  • The 40 points scored at Sam Houston on Jan. 26 was the least points a Redhawk team had scored since March 12, 2021 when they lost 81-47 to Grand Canyon. The last time SU scored less points was on Jan. 24, 2008 against Alaska Anchorage in a 45-38 final in Seattle.
  • Seattle U held Tarleton to just 47 points on Jan. 19, the least points allowed by an opponent since Nov. 23, 2021 when Pacific Lutheran was held to 40 points.
  • The win over NM State on Jan. 12  was just the fifth ever in the 26 games all-time and snapped a three-game skid against the Aggies.
  • The Redhawks shot 53.8% (28-52) from the field versus UTA on Jan. 7, marking their best shooting performance of the season. Their 50% mark from three (10-20) matched the season best, also achieved versus Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 23.
  • In its first-ever game on Christmas Day, Seattle U earned a convincing 85-67 win over George Washington to close out play at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
  • The Redhawks concluded non-conference play with a 9-4 record, marking the second straight season of nine non-conference victories.
  • Seattle U went 32-of-45 from the free-throw line on Dec. 23 against Iona, which marks the most made free throws since making 33 at Utah Valley on Jan. 15, 2021 and the most attempts since Dec. 3, 2009 when they attempted 48 against Cal Poly.
  • Alex Schumacher had a then season-high 17 points versus Iona on Dec. 23 as his made free throw early in the second half gave the junior guard 1,000 points for his career. The Redhawk squad now features a trio of 1,000-point scorers in Schumacher, Riley Grigsby and Cameron Tyson.
  • 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.
  • 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.

GET YOUR TICKETS
Single-game tickets and multi-game flex packages for the Redhawks five remaining home games are on sale now. All ticket options may be purchased online at goseattleu.com/tix or over the phone at 206-398-GOSU.

UP NEXT
Seattle U returns to Seattle for two straight at home, hosting Utah Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Climate Pledge Arena and Grand Canyon on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Redhawk Center. Both games tip off at 7 pm.

Stay connected with Seattle U men's basketball and get all the latest team updates by downloading the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play.