FRESNO, Calif. - A late scoring surge from Seattle University women’s basketball (1-3, 0-0 WCC) outpaced Fresno State (3-0, 0-0 MWC) through the closing ten minutes, but the effort came up short in the 78-53 defeat at the Save Mart Center on Tuesday evening.
Freshman Jana Vesic led the team with 12 points and two assists for her third straight double-digit scoring performance of the season. The freshman guard finished 4-of-7 from the field while hitting four makes from the free throw line.
Redshirt senior Tamia Stricklin scored nine in her return to Fresno, pacing the Redhawks in rebounding for the third straight game after picking up five. The senior shot 50 percent from the field while finishing 3-for-4 from the charity stripe.
Graduate Ella Brubaker netted eight in 14 minutes of action, with three field goals and two-for-two makes from the free throw line. She picked up three rebounds and handed out one assist.
Junior Lucija Milkovic scored five in her first start, combining for two makes from the floor and hitting one-of-two free throws. The center grabbed four rebounds, including one offensive board. Matching Milkovic in the scoring column were sophomore Sydnie Rodriguez and freshman Chloe Emanga, each netting five points while combining for five rebounds. Rodriguez was the lone Redhawk to strike from behind the arc.
Seattle U saw 22 points for its bench, while scoring 32 in the paint and 14 points off turnovers. They forced 17 turnovers while drawing 22 fouls, going to the line 24 times to Fresno State’s 16. Together the Redhawks shot 44.7 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. They closed the second half shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and 77.8 percent from the charity stripe. Both teams handed out seven assists.
After an early deficit to start the evening, the Redhawks scored a quick five from Brubaker and Rodriguez to chip at the Bulldogs lead, but Fresno State would have its most fruitful quarter through the opening ten minutes, out scoring the Redhawks 26-12.
The Bulldogs attempted to carry their momentum into the second quarter, but the Redhawks kept pace to keep the deficit close until just about 2:30 minutes left before the break. Fresno State found its largest lead of the half, 44-21, before Seattle U scored the final four points heading into halftime. Vesic pulled the deficit back under with a buzzer beater lay up off the fast break 44-25.
Seattle U struck first in the third quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 7-2, with Stricklin leading the charge with four of the seven points. Fresno State responded with a run of its own to build up its lead 62-35 before the closing ten minutes.
The Redhawks held all the cards in the fourth quarter, keeping the Bulldogs from scoring for nearly three minutes. A 8-1 swing to start the final ten minutes shaved the deficit to 63-43. Seattle U kept its focus on improving the gap by locking down the Bulldogs and hitting makes from the free throw line, but Fresno State made its own effort to limit scoring, sending the Redhawks to the line through the closing minute and a half. Despite scoring 18 in the final minutes to lead the Bulldogs, the Redhawks fell 78-53 on the road.
Seattle U returns home to host Cal Poly on Saturday, November 15 at 1 PM at the Redhawk Center.
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