Pepperdine Aims to Continue Surge Against Struggling Seattle

SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Pepperdine Waves will look to solidify their winning season when they visit the struggling Seattle Redhawks in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball matchup Saturday at Redhawk Center.

Pepperdine (17-11) enters on a two-game win streak after an 80-63 victory over Santa Clara last Saturday. The Waves have won four of their last six, showcasing an efficient offense that has averaged 75.3 points in those victories.

A key catalyst is guard Taija Sta Maria, who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists against Santa Clara. Over her last seven games, Sta Maria has averaged 10.7 points and 5.1 assists, providing steady playmaking for a balanced Waves attack that saw Elli Guiney score 20 points in the last outing.

Seattle (5-21) seeks to halt a seven-game losing skid, most recently a 65-61 home loss to Portland. Despite the team’s struggles, guard Ella Brubaker has been a consistent bright spot, averaging 20.2 points over her last six contests. She nearly posted a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds against Portland.

The Redhawks’ defense will be tested, as they have allowed 78.3 points per game during their current losing streak. Offensive support for Brubaker is critical; Tamia Stricklin and Andjela Bigovic combined for 24 points and 14 rebounds in the last game.

History heavily favors Pepperdine. In the teams’ meeting just one month ago on Jan. 29, the Waves dominated Seattle 90-63 in Malibu. Pepperdine’s offensive firepower overwhelmed the Redhawks, a trend they will aim to continue.

The game tips off at 2 p.m. PST Saturday in Seattle. Pepperdine aims to build momentum for the postseason, while Seattle looks to find a signature win in a difficult season. Containing Brubaker will be a priority for the Waves’ defense, while Seattle must find an answer for Pepperdine’s multifaceted scoring to reverse January’s lopsided result.