SEATTLE - Seattle University women’s basketball (5-22, 1-15 WCC) led by as many as 13 against I-5 rival Portland (16-12, 10-6 WCC) before taking the narrow two point lead at half, but could not complete the second half comeback, falling 65-61 to the Pilots inside the Redhawk Center on Saturday afternoon.
Four Redhawks scored in double figures in the game with graduate Ella Brubaker leading the way with her eighth 20+ point game of the year and third straight in as many games. Brubaker shot 43.8 percent from the floor and connected twice from three while shooting four-of-five from the free throw line. She finished one shy of a double-double, grabbing a new Division I career high nine rebounds. Brubaker also finished with four steals and three assists.
Graduate Andjela Bigovic scored 13 points, shooting 41.7 percent from the floor. She went three of four from the stripe while grabbing six rebounds, a steal and a block. Redshirt senior Tamia Stricklin scored 11 points, finishing two rebounds shy of a double-double grabbing eight boards. She shot 57.1 percent from the field and 50 percent on two attempts from three. Freshman Jana Vesic rounded out the group, scoring 11 points on 66.7 percent shooting from the floor and 50 percent from three.
The Redhawks combined for 46.9 percent shooting on the day, connecting for five triples. They out rebounded the Pilots 38-33 while holding the Pilots to 36.8 percent shooting from the field. Seattle U picked up two blocks and eights steals while forcing 19 turnovers.
Seattle U struck first with a lay up from junior Lucija Milkovic before trailing 5-2 until the eight minute mark when Brubaker connected for a bucket off the assist from Vesic. On the next Redhawk possession, Vesic scored the first go-ahead bucket to take the lead. SU rattled off a 6-0 run to lead 12-5 at the five minute mark. After a pair of free throw makes from Brubaker at the 1:31 mark, the Redhawks secured the 13 point lead. SU led 23-15 after the first quarter.
The Redhawks maintained their momentum into the second, shooting over 50 percent from the floor and holding the Pilots to 33.3 percent shooting. Turnovers proved to be the difference heading into the half as the Pilots tied the contest at the 5:00 minute mark 25-25. Seattle U went back up by seven with a triple from Vesic and a pair of free throws from Stricklin. After a layup from Bigovic got the Redhawks up 34-29 with 30 seconds before half, the Pilots connected from three at the buzzer, but SU led 34-32 at the break.
The Pilots had their most fruitful ten minutes over the third period, scoring 19 points to SU’s 11. SU matched the Pilots point for point until a scoreless stretch saw Portland’s lead move to four at the six minute mark. Stricklin put the Redhawks within two but both teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes. Brubaker connected for three to make it a one point game but the Pilots closed the third on a 7-2 run.
Portland led by as many as ten in the fourth quarter before Brubaker guided a 7-0 run to make it a three point game with 19 seconds left. The Pilots closed the contest out from the free throw line as Vesic connected from three at the last second to make the final score 65-61.
Seattle U remains in Washington, traveling to Washington State for its final regular season road contest. The Redhawks return home on Saturday, February 28 to host Pepperdine for its Senior Day.
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