SEATTLE - All three Seattle University women’s basketball (5-24, 1-14 WCC) seniors played a big role in their West Coast Conference finale as each scored in double-figures in what would be a 81-67 defeat to Pepperdine (19-11, 10-8 WCC) inside the Redhawk Center on Saturday afternoon.
Redshirt senior Tamia Stricklin posted her third double-double of the season behind a career high 14 rebounds performance, two shy of tying sixth all-time in program history. Stricklin scored ten on five field goals and handed out two assists while picking up two steals on the defensive end.
Graduate Andjela Bigovic led the trio with 15 points, connecting on six field goals, including a triple while knocking down both free throw attempts. Bigovic grabbed four rebounds and a block in 30 minutes of action.
Graduate Ella Brubaker scored 11 for her 25 double digit scoring performance of the year. Brubaker connected twice from behind the arc while leading the team with three free throws made.
In addition to SU’s three seniors, two more Redhawks registered double-digit scoring efforts. Freshman Jana Vesic led the team with 16 points, shooting 77.7 percent on nine attempts. Vesic matched Stricklin and Bigovic with two assists while leading the team in steals with two. Fellow freshman Chloe Emanga also grabbed two steals and scored 11 points on four of six shooting from the field. Emanga finished two rebounds shy of a double-double, recording eight, including four offensive boards.
The Redhawks combined for 41.9 percent shooting on the day, connecting for 26 made field goals including five triples and shot 10 of 13 from the charity stripe. They won the rebounding battle 37-33, while grabbing eight offensive boards to Pepperdine’s seven. Seattle U led the Waves in blocks 3-2, and also out scored Pepperdine in the paint 40-32.
Emanga led the Redhawks through the opening ten minutes as Seattle U sped out of the gates to start ahead of the Waves in the first. She scored seven points while shooting perfect from the floor and grabbed three rebounds. Vesic also went perfect from the field, scoring five points while Stricklin scored four and recorded three rebounds. The Redhawks shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the first quarter, limiting the Waves to 33.3 percent shooting. They led by as many as ten after a 9-0 run nearing the 4:00 minute mark in the first.
SU’s hot offense in the first cooled into the second, while Bigovic led the charge scoring four points on 50 percent shooting. Stricklin picked up four more rebounds through the second as the Redhawks trailed by one entering halftime after the Waves got off a triple at the buzzer. The Waves kept up their surge in the third after heating up from three. Bigovic scored six points to lead the Redhawks out of the break.
Vesic and Brubaker teamed up in the final ten minutes, combining for 14 points. Brubaker shot 50 percent from the floor while connecting on two of four attempts from three. Vesic shot four of five from the field. Stricklin surpassed 14 rebounds after grabbing four in the fourth quarter. Despite the Redhawks out scoring the Waves in bookended quarters, Seattle U could not complete the comeback, falling 81-67.
The Redhawks prepare to make the trip to their first ever West Coast Conference tournament held in Las Vegas. Final seeding and brackets will be released in the upcoming days.
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