The Long Beach State women’s basketball team had no answer for Seattle University’s offensive attack Friday as the 49ers fell, 78-49, at the Connolly Center.
The Redhawks shot an impressive 55.8 percent from the field and were even better from beyond the arc as they went 10-for-16 (62.5 percent).
The 49ers (2-5) were held to just 26.7 percent shooting and were out-rebounded, 48-26.
Sophomore guard Hallie Meneses led LBSU with a season-high 14 points, while junior Jhakia McDonald chipped in nine points. Junior Mary Ochiltree also finished with seven points and a team-best seven rebounds.
Seattle (3-4) dented the scoreboard first and proceeded to go up, 19-7, before McDonald drained a 3-pointer to bring the 49ers back within single digits with 11:52 to play. The Redhawks then pulled ahead by as many as 13 before LBSU used a 13-1 spurt, capped by a 3-pointer from Ochiltree to cut the deficit to 28-25 at the 6:16 mark.
After Seattle took a 30-second timeout, it responded with an 18-3 run to take its largest lead of the half at 46-28. In the final minute, Meneses sank a pair of 3-pointers to make it 48-34 at the break.
The Redhawks shot a blistering 60.7 percent from the field in the first half, while holding the 49ers to 38.7 percent. Seattle also won the battle on the boards, 22-12. Meneses paced Long Beach with 10 points as she went 3-for-3 from long distance.
McDonald got the 49ers off to a quick start in the second half with a 3 from the top of the key, but Seattle then scored six unanswered points to reclaim its 18-point lead (55-37) with three minutes gone by in the second period.
LBSU was able to close the gap to 14, but was then hindered by an eight-minute scoring drought that allowed the Redhawks to race out to a 75-44 advantage with just over five minutes remaining. Seattle never slowed down as it came away with the 78-49 victory.
Seattle’s Talisa Rhea scored a game-high 14 points, while Kacie Sowell had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
LBSU will wrap up its seven-game roadstretch Sunday when it squares off against Pac-12 opponent the University of Washington. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Arena.
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