The Seattle U Redhawks are making waves in their first season in the West Coast Conference, and Tuesday night’s performance was another strong statement. Behind a balanced scoring attack and a stifling defensive effort, the Redhawks took down the Washington State Cougars 69-55 at Climate Pledge Arena, improving to 12-3 on the season.
This win wasn’t just another notch in the win column-it was Seattle U’s first-ever WCC victory, coming just two days after a tough loss to San Francisco in their conference opener. And it came with some added bragging rights: the Redhawks have now beaten both of Washington’s major public universities in the span of two weeks.
First, it was the UW Huskies in the Battle for Seattle on December 19. Now, it’s WSU.
That’s a pretty loud introduction to the WCC, and they’re not done yet. Next up?
A heavyweight road test against No. 7 Gonzaga.
Against Wazzu, Seattle U didn’t rely on one star to carry the load. Instead, they spread the wealth.
Brayden Maldonado led the charge with 15 points, knocking down three triples on six attempts and giving the Redhawks a steady hand from deep. His third three of the night marked Seattle’s 10th from beyond the arc-an impressive number for a team that’s quietly built an identity around depth and perimeter shooting.
Junseok Yeo chipped in 10 points, continuing to be a reliable presence on both ends of the floor. But what stood out most was how many players got involved. Seven Redhawks finished with six or more points, a testament to how well this team moves the ball and trusts each other in the halfcourt.
Defensively, Seattle U brought energy and length. Will Heimbrodt was a force at the rim, finishing with three of the Redhawks’ seven blocks to go along with nine points. His presence helped anchor a defense that held WSU to just 55 points and kept them uncomfortable all night.
For the Cougars, Ace Glass led the way with 13 points, while ND Okafor put together a gritty double-double-11 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. But WSU struggled to find rhythm offensively, and the Redhawks took full advantage.
WSU, now 6-9 overall and 1-1 in WCC play, is still navigating its temporary stay in the conference before rejoining the restructured Pac-12 next season. They’ll look to bounce back Friday when they host Loyola Marymount.
As for Seattle U, the road gets tougher from here. But if these last few weeks are any indication, the Redhawks aren’t just surviving in the WCC-they’re starting to thrive.