BURNABY, B.C. – A terrific back-and-forth contest got away from the SFU Red Leafs (7-6) late on Monday afternoon, as the Sonoma State Seawolves (8-2) went on a 9-3 run over the final 3:17 to take the 85-80 win.
Junior guard
Sophia Wisotzki (Langley, B.C.) paced SFU in the non-conference women's basketball game with 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Junior forward
Gemma Cutler of North Vancouver, B.C. (17 points, nine rebounds), senior guard/forward
Jessica Wisotzki of Langley, B.C. (16 points, five rebounds, three assists), and senior guard
Grace Killins of Coquitlam, B.C. (10 points, three boards) also hit double digits in scoring. Junior guard
Makenna Gardner of Langley, B.C., tied Cutler with nine rebounds.
SFU did well to rally after heading into the fourth quarter down 71-62. Both Wisotzkis, Killins, and Cutler came out firing, each knocking down at least a single bucket as part of an 11-2 Red Leafs run that pulled them even at 73-73.
SFU continued to match Sonoma State's pace amid a torrid contest from the Seawolves' Alli McDonald, eventually earning that 77-76 lead. Then, as part of her game-high 27 points, McDonald went back-to-back with a deep three ball and a high-traffic layup to put the hosts in front for good.
Sonoma State led 48-35 with two minutes left in the second quarter but the Red Leafs answered with back-to-back three-point plays to close out the half at 48-41.
Sophia Wisotzki hit a jump shot in the paint and then converted the ensuing free throw. Then she assisted on a three-point basket by Killins with 50 seconds left on the clock.
SFU made a season-high 30 field goals on 59 attempts (50.8 per cent).
Canada's NCAA team will have the opportunity to even the score with the Seawolves Tuesday morning, as the two sides are set to square off once more at 11 a.m.
The contest will be the last of 2023 for the Red Leafs, with their next time on the hardwood being a January 4 date with the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks. After their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener against Western Washington earlier in December, this marks the start of the majority of the league schedule, as SFU will only face conference foes from now until March.
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athletics.sfu.ca. You can also find us on social media at @SFU_Athletics.
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