SEATTLE - A late Seattle University women’s basketball surge put the Redhawks (4-11, 0-4 WCC) within striking distance of its first West Coast Conference victory of the season, but the feat was halted by the visiting Washington State Cougars (3-14, 2-2 WCC) 73-69 inside the Redhawk Center on Sunday afternoon.
Four tallied double-digit scoring efforts with graduate Ella Brubaker leading the group with 17 points for her 11th straight game in double figures. Brubaker combined for five made field goals while going perfect, 6-for-6, from the free throw line. She finished the day with a steal and three rebounds.
Sophomore Sydnie Rodriguez and redshirt senior Tamia Stricklin each scored 13 with Stricklin matching Brubaker with five makes from the floor. Rodriguez registered two triples while going 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Stricklin led the team with five assists, matching her career high, while Rodriguez led the two with eight rebounds, one shy of her career high. Rodriguez led the Redhawk defense with two steals.
Freshman Jana Vesic netted double digit points for the second straight game, scoring 12 coming off the bench. She shot 57.1 percent from the floor, while connecting twice from three on three attempts.
Junior Lucija Milkovic finished one point and one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring nine while leading the Redhawks with nine rebounds, including three offensive boards.
The Redhawks combined for 23 made field goals and eight triples while shooting 94 percent from the line. They forced 12 turnovers, coming away with three steals and two blocks. SU came away with 37 rebounds, while winning the battle at the offensive glass 12-6 over WSU.
Seattle U got off to a hot start, shooting 55 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three through the opening ten minutes of the contest. Vesic led the way going a perfect three-for-three from the field, scoring seven points off the bench. Rodriguez and Stricklin combined for ten points as the Redhawks trailed by one after the first quarter.
The hot offense cooled slightly through the second quarter, with Stricklin and Rodriguez once again going to work for the offense. Rodriguez also cleaned up on the defensive end, picking up five rebounds. Seattle U trailed 45-37 at the half.
The Redhawks chipped at the Cougars lead in the third, out scoring WSU by seven, holding Washington State to ten third quarter points. Brubaker rallied the Redhawks, scoring eight points while Milkovic picked up four rebounds. Trailing by as many as ten, the Redhawks made it a one point game 55-54 at the end of the third.
Milkovic led the way in the fourth, scoring five while Brubaker and Rodriguez combined for eight made free throws. Seattle U kept it within at least a possession through the final six minutes as Brubaker made it a one point game from the free throw line with 34 seconds to go but the Cougars would spoil SU’s bid for a WCC win 73-69.
Seattle U completes a three game home stand to start the new year, hosting San Diego on Thursday evening at the Redhawk Center.
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