Entering last weekend, senior Taylor Lydon had scored in double figures just once in her Chico State basketball career. By Saturday night, the Chico native had three double-digit games to her credit, and if that wasn’t enough, Lydon posted career scoring highs not once, but twice as the No. 17-ranked Wildcats split their two contests at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge in Rohnert Park. Lydon’s weekend efforts have also resulted in another career first – being named Wildcat of the Week.
In Chico State’s two CCAA/GNAC Challenge games, Lydon scored a combined 27 points, hitting 10-of-17 shots from the field (58.8 percent) and seven of 11 3-point attempts (.636) while also collecting nine rebounds, two assists and four steals to help the Wildcats run their season record to 7-1.
Friday against 14th-ranked Western Washington, Lydon connected on 5-of-10 shooting (including two 3-pointers), hauled in three rebounds, dished out two assists, grabbed three steals and scored a career-high 12 points to lead Chico State to a 65-62 overtime win against the Vikings. Lydon topped herself Saturday against Seattle Pacific, draining five of six 3-point attempts to score a team-high 15 while piling up six rebounds. It looked like it would be enough to give the ’Cats their eighth straight win to start the season, but the Falcons handed the Wildcats a heartbreaking 57-56 loss by hitting a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left for the come-from-behind victory.
Chico State returns to California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play following the holiday break, traveling to southern California to take on Cal State L.A. Dec. 30 and Cal State Dominguez Hills Dec. 31.
