SEATTLE – Seattle U men's basketball (18-8, 9-4 WAC) heads back out on the road looking to keep pace near the top of the Western Athletic Conference standings when they face off against California Baptist (14-12, 5-7 WAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the CBU Events Center in Riverside, Calif. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and can also be heard over the airwaves on KXSU 102.1 FM in Seattle or kxsu.org.
QUICK HITS
- Seattle U improved to 8-0 at the Redhawk Center this season with a 63-58 win over Grand Canyon on Saturday, Feb. 11.
- The Redhawks improved to 18-8 overall and 9-4 in Western Athletic Conference play with the win over the Lopes.
- This marks the 25th time in program history (78 years) that Seattle U has reached 18 wins in a season. The Redhawks will eye back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1963-64 when a 22-win season followed 21 wins in 1962-63.
- The program has 15 total 20-win seasons all-time, including a 23-win season last year under first-year Head Coach Chris Victor.
- Alex Schumacher poured in a season-high 26 points in the win over GCU on Feb. 11, including a go-ahead three with 22 seconds remaining to put the Redhawks up 59-58.
- Riley Grigsby added 16 points and Cameron Tyson had 11 to round out a trio of Redhawks in double figures.
- Cameron Tyson now has 1,456 points for his career and 907 points as a Redhawk. He stands 193 points from hitting the 1K marker in a Seattle U uniform with six regular-season games remaining.
- Emeka Udenyi collected three rebounds on Feb. 8 versus Utah Tech, bringing him just three boards away from 500 for his career as a Redhawk.
- 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.
ABOUT THE SERIES VS CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
This marks the 12th all-time meeting between Seattle U and California Baptist with the Redhawks leading the series, 6-5. The Redhawks have won the last four meetings, including a 71-65 victory at the Redhawk Center to open WAC play on Dec. 31, 2022. Cameron Tyson scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures. Seattle U swept the home-and-home series in 2021-22, winning an OT thriller on Jan. 17, 2022 in Riverside, Calif., as Riley Grigsby drained a three to send the game into overtime and the Redhawks used a 13-0 run to dominate the extra frame and earn its third win on CBU's home court. On Feb. 9, 2022 at Climate Pledge Arena, Darrion Trammell drained a buzzer beating three to snap a 64-64 tie and give the Redhawks the victory.
UNBEATEN WHEN...
...five players score in double figures (4-0)
...holding opponents under 40% from the field (10-0)
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN PART 1
Through 26 games this season, Cameron Tyson has 79 threes, bringing his Seattle U career total to 184. That mark puts Tyson in sole possession of third all-time. Next on the list with the second most career threes is Isiah Umipig (2013-15) with 229. 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 160.
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 Wednesday's game at California Baptist with 89 blocks, good for third all-time. Grigsby sits in sixth with 79 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 322 points through 26 games played as a Redhawk for 1,204 career points and counting. Schumacher's achievement gives the Redhawks three 1,000-point scorers on the squad as Cameron Tyson sits at 1,456 points for his career and Riley Grigsby has 1,429 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) and has now played in 128 career games. With his 35 minutes played versus Grand Canyon on Feb. 11, Grigsby continues to close the career minutes played gap, though still in second with 3,522. 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 215 minutes.
NATIONAL RANKS
In games played through Feb. 13, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in three team categories:
- 8th in 3-pt attempts per game (28.2)
- 33rd in 3-pters per game (9.0)
- 48th in rebounds per game (37.54)
In games played through Feb. 13, Seattle U ranks among the nation's top 50 in five individual categories:
- 5th in 3-pt attempts (231) - Cameron Tyson
- 12th in 3-pters per game (3.29) - Cameron Tyson
- 16th in total 3s (79) - Cameron Tyson
- 32nd in FG attempts (361) - Cameron Tyson
- 45th in points per game (18.8) - Cameron Tyson
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. 13, the Redhawks rank 129. 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
Just two home games remain on the 2022-23 slate, including Saturday, Feb. 18 versus WAC-leader Utah Valley and Friday, March 3 versus UT Arlington. All ticket options may be purchased online at goseattleu.com/tix or over the phone at 206-398-GOSU.
UP NEXT
Seattle U returns home on Saturday, Feb. 18 to host WAC-leader Utah Valley at the Redhawk Center. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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.