CHICAGO — The Chicago State women's basketball team (4-23, 3-15 WAC) closed its 2021-22 season by falling to Seattle U, 57-54, on Saturday at the Jones Convocation Center.
"Our women gave us everything they had all season long," head coach Tiffany Sardin said. "I love them dearly. This isn't how we wanted to end our season, but we'll now prepare for next year. We're going to take care of each other right now.
"There's progress we're making. Our women are taking steps to represent this university with great pride, and I appreciate them for that."
Aaliyah Collins led Chicago State with 15 points against her hometown team, while Allysah Boothe scored 11, hitting three threes, on Senior Day. Quentarra Mitchell added nine points and 10 rebounds. The Cougars led, 50-49, with 45 seconds left, but the Redhawks' execution down the stretch nailed their 11th win.
The loss ends Chicago State's 2021-22 season, a year in which the Cougars won their most games in the program's WAC history (since 2013). Overall, CSU earned its most victories since the 2014-15 season.
Including a road win over a Big Ten foe — over Wisconsin on Nov. 22 — and featuring five WAC Freshman of the Week awards for Collins, the 2021-22 season is etched in Chicago State history as a program-changer.
Chicago State's start was marred by slow offense, as the Cougars didn't score until the 3:17 mark of the first, a Collins layup. Still, Ana Haklicka and Christina Britter buckets kept CSU competitive, as the Cougars trailed, 12-8, at the end of the first.
In the second quarter, Chicago State outscored the Redhawks by two. Mitchell took a starring role, hitting a few key buckets and dominating the boards, while Boothe nailed her first two threes at the five-minute mark, her second giving CSU its first lead, at 20-19.
Seattle U did punch back, earning a 26-24 halftime lead behind Peyton Howard and Courtney Murphy.
The two sides continued to trade blows in the third, as the lead changed hands five times in the final 3:27. Collins continued to dominate on both ends, while Mckenzi Williams kept Seattle in it, and the score was tied, 37-37, at the end of the third.
In the fourth quarter, CSU trailed, 43-39, at the five-minute mark when Nafatoumata Haidara drilled a layup to pull to within two. Murphy answered back with a three for Seattle U, but then Mitchell led a CSU charge to tie the game at 46. The lead continued to change hands, with Mitchell and Collins each hitting jumpers, before the Cougars led, 50-49, with 45 seconds left.
That's when Williams drilled a left-wing three to edge the Redhawks ahead, 52-50. Seattle closed down the stretch, nailing seven-of-eight free throws to cap a 57-54 win.
"It's back to the drawing board now," Sardin said. "We have to recruit. And we have great people on campus with us now. We'll prepare for what's next."
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. In 1991, the Chicago State women's tennis team became the first all-black college team to amass an unbeaten season at the NCAA level. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title, also making an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. Chicago State volleyball recorded a historic season in 2021, with Yanlis Feliz becoming CSU's first volleyball All-American and head coach Tony Trifonov earning selection as WAC Coach of the Year.
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