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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Abilene Christian

SEATTLE – Seattle University men's basketball (13-8, 6-5 WAC) returns home this week to host a pair of key Western Athletic Conference match-ups. First up is a Thursday, Feb. 8 tilt against Abilene Christian (8-13, 3-7 WAC) in the season's final game at Climate Pledge Arena. Tip off is 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.

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GAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Abilene ChristianGAME PREVIEW: MBB vs. Abilene Christian

SEATTLE – Seattle University men's basketball (13-8, 6-5 WAC) returns home this week to host a pair of key Western Athletic Conference match-ups. First up is a Thursday, Feb. 8 tilt against Abilene Christian (8-13, 3-7 WAC) in the season's final game at Climate Pledge Arena. Tip off is 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U completed the home-and-home sweep of California Baptist with a 61-60 win in Riverside Saturday.
  • Kobe Williamson was the hero of the night with a game-tying putback layup, followed by the go-ahead, and-one free throw.
  • Seattle U is now 13-9 on the season and 6-5 in WAC play.
  • Cameron Tyson led the Redhawks with 18 points, including a trio of three pointers, which sent him over 400 threes for his career. He is now one of three active college players with 400+ career threes.
  • Alex Schumacher had 15 points and four assists. Williamson finished with nine points and five rebounds, three on the offensive end.
  • With the one-point victory at CBU, the Redhawks are now 4-7 in games decided by five points or less. The collective total in their nine losses is just 33 points, or an average of 3.7 ppg.
  • Seattle U is now 11-3 when holding opponents under 70 points.

SEATTLE STORYLINES

  • Kobe Williamson has turned in career-best numbers all season long. The 6-8 forward is averaging 10.1 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 50% FGs, 30% from three and 82% FTs. This are all career-highs for the fourth-year junior (due to COVID) who averaged 4.2 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 37% FGs and 26% from three last season.
  • After missing nine games due to hand injury, John Christofilis has bounced back without missing a step, averaging 12.5 ppg in 12 games since his return. The stretch included a career-high, 32 points on Jan. 4 vs Utah Tech and a recent four-game stretch of double-digit scoring.
  • The Redhawks lead the WAC and are among the top teams in the nation in three-point percentage defense, holding teams to 29% from beyond the arc.
  • Alex Schumacher scored his 1,500th career point at SFA on Jan. 18 as part of a 24-point effort. His 12th point of the night hit the milestone marker. Schumacher joins Cameron Tyson to give Seattle U a pair of players who have over 1,500 career points.
  • The overtime finish at Grand Canyon on Feb. 1 was the Redhawks' fifth game to go extra time this season. They are 1-4 in OT games this season and 2-4 all-time under Head Coach Chris Victor.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Seattle U has gone 40-6 (.870) on its home court during the past two-plus seasons under Head Coach Chris Victor. That record includes a 31-2 (.939) mark at the Redhawk Center, including 11-0 in 2023-24, and an 11-4 mark in 15 games played at Climate Pledge Arena.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS ABILENE CHRISTIAN

  • This marks just the fourth all-time meeting between Seattle U and Abilene Christian with the Wildcats leading, 2-1.
  • The Wildcats have won the last two meetings, most recently an 83-68 final at Climate Pledge Arena on Feb. 1, 2023.
  • The Redhawks won the first ever meeting in 2021-22, earning a 72-62 win on Jan. 20 in Abilene, Texas. Cameron Tyson led four Redhawks in scoring with 20 points. Riley Grigsby had 15 points, Darrion Trammell had 14 and Kyree Brown came of the bench to add 12.

WINNING AT THE NET
Seattle U has a pair of wins over teams ranked in the top-70 of the NCAA NET at the time of the game. The Redhawks took down No. 66-ranked Louisiana Tech on Dec. 20, 79-73, the toppled No. 41 Grand Canyon on Jan. 20. At the time of each game, the opponent represented the Redhawks' highest NET win of the season. Seattle U is ranked No. 119 in games played through Feb. 15.

MILESTONE MARCH - POINTS
A pair of Redhawks are racking up points and closing in on significant milestone markers.

  • Cameron Tyson checks in with 1,902 career points, 98 from 2,000 for his career. With nine regular season games remaining, Tyson would need to average just under 11 ppg to achieve the feat.
  • Tyson is also 147 points away from 1,500 points scored at Seattle U. The last player to do so was Riley Grigsby (2019-23) who finished with 1,501. 
  • Tyson could crack the Seattle U top-10 list in scoring. He is 177 points away from No. 10 Jawann Oldham (1976-80, 1530).
  • Alex Schumacher scored 24 points at SFA on Jan. 18, hitting the 1,500 career-point mark with his 12th point of the night. He now sits at 1,574 and counting.

MILESTONE MARCH - REBOUNDS
A trio of Redhawks have been closing in on 500 rebounds for their career:

  • Kobe Williamson hauled in 11 rebounds on Jan. 26 versus Utah Valley, surpassing 500 career rebounds.
  • Alex Schumacher check in with 475 career rebounds, needing 25 more to hit 500.
  • Cameron Tyson checks in with 453 career rebounds, needing 47 more to hit 500.

ATOP THE WAC
In games played through Feb. 5, the Redhawks lead the WAC in one team statistical category and five individual categories.

NCAA ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS
Cameron Tyson is one of three active players across the nation to have over 400 three-pointers for their career. His collegiate career total of 402 three pointers in 131 games played ranks third among all active Division I players (and third among players across all three divisions). He trails Texas' Max Abmas (487, 145 games) and Marshall's Kamdyn Curfman (446, 1456games).

RECORD BREAKERS

  • Cameron Tyson drained four threes on Dec. 20 versus Louisiana Tech to bring his Seattle U career total to 241. His third three of the night pushed him past former record-holder Aaron Waite (1988-92).
  • Kobe Williams tallied the 110th block of his career against Northwest on Dec. 9, moving him past previous Seattle U record-holder Aaron Menzies (2015-18) to become the outright record holder.
  • Brandton Chatfield is working his way up the Seattle U career blocks top-10 list as well, checking in at No. 7 with 81.

GET YOUR TICKETS
Single-game tickets and flex packages are available for purchase. All ticket options may be purchased online at goseattleu.com/tix or over the phone at 206-398-GOSU.

UP NEXT
The Redhawks conclude a two-game WAC homestand on Saturday, Feb. 10, hosting Tarleton at 3 p.m. in the Redhawk Center.

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.