SEATTLE (Interstat) — Cal State Bakersfield controlled play from start to finish in a 72-51 women’s basketball victory over Seattle on Saturday at Redhawk Center. The Roadrunners never trailed, building a 39-31 halftime lead before holding the Redhawks to just 20 second-half points. Chrishawn Coleman led all scorers with 21 points for Cal State Bakersfield. Tena Ikidi added 9 points and 14 rebounds. Seattle was led by Tamia Stricklin with 16 points. Cal State Bakersfield’s defense forced 23 turnovers and held Seattle to 2-for-18 shooting from 3-point range. The Roadrunners improved to 3-7 overall, while the Redhawks fell to 4-5. Attendance was 291.

SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Cal State Bakersfield women’s basketball team snapped a two-game skid and secured a rare road victory Saturday, using a dominant defensive performance to defeat Seattle 72-51 at Redhawk Center. The Roadrunners, who entered the game with a 2-7 record, never trailed and held the Redhawks to a season-low in points, improving to 3-7. Seattle fell to 4-5. The most important part of the game was a decisive third-quarter stretch where Cal State Bakersfield’s defense completely stifled the Redhawks. Leading 39-31 at halftime, the Roadrunners held Seattle to just nine points in the third quarter on 4-of-15 shooting while forcing seven turnovers. That defensive stand allowed Cal State Bakersfield to extend a single-digit lead to 57-40 heading into the final period, effectively putting the game out of reach. Chrishawn Coleman led all scorers with 21 points for Cal State Bakersfield, adding six rebounds and a block. The guard from Arlington, Virginia, bounced back from a 12-point outing in her previous game. She was supported by a double-double from center Tena Ikidi, who had nine points and 14 rebounds, and 10 points apiece from Aaliyah Carter and Maria Dias. Carter also contributed five assists. For Seattle, Tamia Stricklin scored 16 points and Ella Brubaker added 14, but the Redhawks struggled mightily from beyond the arc, making only 2 of 18 three-point attempts. The team also committed 23 turnovers, which the Roadrunners converted into 17 points. Cal State Bakersfield set the tone early, opening the game on a 7-0 run and leading 22-15 after the first quarter. Seattle closed the gap to eight points by halftime but could not sustain any offensive rhythm after the break. The Roadrunners’ defense was particularly effective in the paint, recording eight steals and blocking two shots, while their work on the glass resulted in 15 offensive rebounds. Statistically, the teams were even with 36 points each in the paint, but Cal State Bakersfield’s superior ball movement and ability to capitalize on Seattle’s mistakes proved decisive. The Roadrunners had eight assists to Seattle’s four and shot 42.6 percent from the field compared to the Redhawks’ 36.8 percent. The victory defied the pregame projections from National Statistical’s ELO system, which gave Seattle a 68.5 percent probability to win. Cal State Bakersfield returns home to face Cal St. East Bay on Tuesday. Seattle travels to face Portland State on Wednesday.

Preview: Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners at Seattle Redhawks SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Seattle Redhawks look to move above .500 as they host the struggling Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Redhawk Center. Seattle (4-4) enters following a dominant 102-37 victory over Division III Evergreen State on Dec. 2, a game in which forward Lucija Milkovic posted 18 points and 11 rebounds in just 21 minutes. The Redhawks have shown inconsistency, with the win preceded by a 59-64 loss at Florida International. Their season includes a 75-73 win over Cal Poly but also a 49-89 defeat to UC Santa Barbara. Cal State Bakersfield (2-7) seeks to halt a four-game skid, most recently a 47-67 home loss to UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 6. The Roadrunners’ victories came on the road at Wichita State (60-55) and Omaha (82-73) in November. They have struggled offensively, failing to reach 60 points in five of their seven losses. A key matchup will feature each team’s top recent performer. For Bakersfield, guard Chrishawn Coleman has been a bright spot, averaging 17.4 points over her last five games. She scored 21 points in a narrow 57-59 loss to Cal State Northridge on Dec. 4 and had 25 points in a November contest at San Diego State. Seattle will counter with Milkovic, who recorded a double-double in limited action last time out. The Redhawks also received strong contributions from Chloe Emanga (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Lucy Larson (13 rebounds, 6 assists) in the rout of Evergreen State. The Roadrunners will need more offensive support for Coleman. In the loss to UC Santa Barbara, only Maria Dias (14 points) joined her in double figures. This contest begins a two-game homestand for Seattle before hitting the road for two. Cal State Bakersfield continues a stretch of seven straight games away from home, with this being the sixth in that sequence. Tip-off is set for Saturday afternoon at Redhawk Center.