Seawolves Fall to Colorado Mesa in Season Opener at Hawaii Classic

Seawolves Open Hawaii Classic With 74-52 Loss to Colorado Mesa

Junior guard Bridgette Tello scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in her Alaska Anchorage debut, but the Seawolves dropped a 74-52 women’s basketball decision to Colorado Mesa on Friday at the Hoops In Hawaii Tip-Off Classic, goseawolves.com reported.

The season opener at the T.C. Ching Athletic Center in Honolulu saw UAA struggle out of the gate against the nation’s second-ranked Division II team, a squad coming off a national semifinals appearance last spring. Colorado Mesa senior guard Mason Rowland led all players with 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting, adding 11 rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

UAA head coach Matt Thune pointed directly to the early minutes as the turning point. “We didn’t give ourselves a chance with the way we started the game,” Thune told goseawolves.com. “We were rattled early, and against a good team you can’t put yourself in that kind of position.”

Early Deficit and Second-Quarter Response

The Seawolves fell behind 8-0 before Tello put their first points on the board. The deficit ballooned to 22-4 when Mavericks center Brooke Eyre scored on a fast break midway through the opening period, leaving UAA facing a 28-10 hole after 10 minutes.

UAA managed to find its footing before halftime. Senior forward Lillee Duffin tallied all five of her points and three of her five rebounds in the second quarter, helping narrow the margin to 39-29 at the break. Sophomore guard Mylee Anderson contributed 10 points for the Seawolves, while freshman guard Kinzley Larsen chipped in nine points on 3-of-5 shooting in her collegiate debut.

“I was proud of how we responded in the second quarter and the stretches where we competed and played closer to our identity,” Thune said. “Ultimately, we need to be more disciplined, take better care of the ball and trust what we do. This a learning opportunity for our group and we have to respond.”

Although the Seawolves stayed within striking distance throughout the third quarter, they failed to pull within single digits. Colorado Mesa extended a 50-38 lead into the game’s final frame and pulled away down the stretch.

Upcoming Matchup in Honolulu

Tello, a transfer from Texas A&M-International, shot 5 of 11 from the field in her first outing for UAA. Fellow Texas A&M-International transfer Jayden Smallwood also made her debut, recording five points.

Seawolves Fall to Colorado Mesa in Season Opener at Hawaii Classic

The Seawolves continue play at the Hoops In Hawaii Tip-Off Classic on Saturday at 2:15 pm ADT against local opponent Chaminade. Live video and statistics links are available at GoSeawolves.com.