Seattle U’s women began the John Bonner era by giving themselves no room for another concession. Down 62–51 with 7:36 remaining at New Mexico, the Redhawks scored the final 12 points of Monday’s game and left The Pit with a 63–62 win.

The closing run is confirmed by New Mexico’s official recap, which records both the 11-point lead and the Lobos’ failure to score afterward. For Seattle U, the result offered an immediate example of what sustained stops can make possible, even after the game has gone badly enough to require a substantial rescue.

A lead that had to be defended

Cristina Jones put the Redhawks ahead with 1:31 remaining. The ending still required several defensive possessions, and Seattle U missed two free throws with five seconds left. New Mexico used its last timeout after the rebound, then missed its final shot.

That finish matters because a comeback is not complete when the score first changes in your favor. Seattle U had to protect a one-point lead without adding another point. The missed free throws also keep this from becoming an overly tidy story about flawless late execution. The Redhawks survived the part that went wrong.

Seattle U’s game report credits Claire Fraser with a late steal and the final rebound, and Alanna Neale with a block in the closing seconds. Those contributions gave the last stretch more authors than the player who scored the winning basket.

The work that kept Seattle U close

Jones finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Fraser added 11 points, and Shelley Duchemin contributed 10 from the bench. Seattle U’s report also records 18 offensive rebounds and a 43–33 advantage on the glass, with freshman Gabriela Escorial responsible for six of those offensive boards.

Extra chances matter most when an offense cannot afford to let an empty trip become its last opportunity. They also spread responsibility. A team can keep a possession alive without asking its leading scorer to manufacture everything from the dribble.

That is a useful starting point for watching this group at home: follow the shot, then watch which players pursue the next play. The initial attempt tells only part of the possession’s story. Monday’s rebounding figures give supporters a specific team habit to track rather than a broad promise about a changed identity.

A new group gets a shared result

Seattle U’s preseason roster introduction described 13 newcomers. Jones arrived with prior experience playing for Bonner, while Duchemin brought Division I experience that included UC Riverside. The team has connections to build on, but most of the roster is learning a new shared environment.

A close road win supplies something practice cannot fully reproduce: a finished result under pressure. It gives the players a common reference for what happened when the deficit grew and the clock became a problem. One afternoon cannot establish a season-long standard, but it can give the next practice a concrete starting point.

Our earlier look at the Redhawks’ schedule set out the broader reset. Now there is a result beside the plan. The official team listing has the home opener against UC Riverside on Friday, November 6, at 6 p.m. Pacific at the Redhawk Center. Seattle U comes home with a win earned all the way through the final possession.

Sources and attribution

New Mexico’s official recap; Seattle U’s game report; Seattle U’s preseason roster introduction; The official team listing; New Mexico official final gamebook.

Cover image is illustrative basketball photography, not documentation of the players, venue or event discussed.