SEATTLE, Wash. – The Chico State women’s basketball team’s sixth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament didn’t end in the program’s fourth straight Sweet Sixteen appearance, but it did end as one of the best seasons in Chico State’s history.
The 14th-ranked Wildcats lost to ninth-ranked Alaska Anchorage 65-47 Saturday in a semifinal game of the NCAA Tournament Division II Women’s West Regional at Brougham Pavilion. The loss ended an impressive season for the Wildcats (28-6), tying the Chico State record of 28 wins in a season, adding another CCAA title to its arsenal, and capturing the championship title of the reinstated CCAA Championship Tournament.
Alaska Anchorage opened the game with a 6-0 run, but the Wildcats got right back in it, putting together a 13-4 run to take a one-point lead at the 13 minute mark. The half went back and forth from there, with neither team taking more than a four-point advantage. UAA held a slim two-point lead at the break, 27-25.
The second half was similar through the first 12 minutes, but after a layup by Christine Vest knotted the game for the eighth-and-final time 42-42 at 7:22, Alaska Anchorage’s reserve Elsiha Harris jump started a 23-5 UAA run to finish out the game. Harris hit three three pointers and a layup during the run.
Natasha Smith picked up the scoring responsibilities for the Wildcats, recording a game-high 21 points, 14 in the first half. Renee Goldoff had 11 points and Jade Smith-Williams had just four points and sat out the final 16:33 after picking up her fifth personal with a technical foul.
That left the Wildcats, who were already missing leading scorer Audriana Spencer with a knee injury in the CCAA post-season tournament, a bit short of fire power and they managed just 20 points in the second half, making only eight of 25 shots.
Amanda Monteith played her typical tough defense, leading the team with nine rebounds. Christine Vest pulled down eight boards.
UAA’s Harris finished the contest with 13 points, connecting on four of five shots. Eleven of her points came in the second half. Kalhie Quinones led UAA with 21 points, 12 in the first half and six assists. Ruby Williams was the only other player in double figures with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Official Basketball Box Score
Alaska Anchorage vs Chico State
03/15/08 5:00 p.m. at Royal Brougham Pavilion - Seattle, Wash.
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VISITORS: Alaska Anchorage 29-5
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
15 Williams,Ruby....... f 5-12 0-0 2-2 2 5 7 3 12 0 1 1 0 35
21 Nilsson,Maria....... f 1-3 1-3 1-2 0 4 4 1 4 3 0 0 1 32
54 Kielpinski,Rebecca.. c 1-4 0-0 2-2 1 2 3 5 4 4 2 3 1 21
02 Salazar,Jennifer.... g 2-9 1-2 2-2 1 4 5 2 7 1 0 0 1 34
04 Quinones,Kalhie..... g 8-12 1-2 4-5 2 3 5 3 21 6 5 0 4 31
03 Harris,Elisha....... 4-5 3-3 2-2 0 1 1 1 13 1 0 0 0 14
13 Basova,Dasha........ 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 7
20 Thompson,Ashley..... 2-2 0-0 0-0 2 2 4 0 4 0 0 0 1 10
24 Dekel,Danielle...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 5
30 Parks,Lillie........ 0-4 0-0 0-0 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 11
TEAM................ 1 1
Totals.............. 23-53 6-11 13-15 10 22 32 17 65 15 15 4 9 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-28 35.7% 2nd Half: 13-25 52.0% Game: 43.4% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-5 60.0% 2nd Half: 3-6 50.0% Game: 54.5% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 2-2 100 % 2nd Half: 11-13 84.6% Game: 86.7% 2
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HOME TEAM: Chico State 28-6
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
21 RICHARDSON, Melissa. f 1-6 1-5 1-2 0 1 1 2 4 4 1 1 0 36
22 MONTEITH, Amanda.... f 0-3 0-0 0-0 2 7 9 5 0 2 5 2 0 34
42 VEST, Christine..... c 1-8 0-0 2-3 2 6 8 1 4 1 2 0 1 28
03 SMITH-WILLIAMS, Jade g 1-3 0-0 2-2 1 0 1 5 4 2 1 0 2 21
11 SMITH, Natasha...... g 8-14 2-8 3-5 2 1 3 1 21 0 5 0 0 38
20 LYDON, Taylor....... 0-2 0-0 1-2 1 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 14
33 GOLDOFF, Renee...... 5-8 0-0 1-2 1 1 2 3 11 1 5 0 0 21
41 EDWARDS, Cory....... 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 8
TEAM................ 1 1
Totals.............. 17-45 3-13 10-16 10 20 30 18 47 10 20 3 4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 9-20 45.0% 2nd Half: 8-25 32.0% Game: 37.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-7 28.6% 2nd Half: 1-6 16.7% Game: 23.1% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 7-9 77.8% 2nd Half: 3-7 42.9% Game: 62.5% 2
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Officials: Moreno, Schumacher, Graves
Technical fouls: Alaska Anchorage-None. Chico State-SMITH-WILLIAMS, Jade.
Attendance: 412
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Alaska Anchorage.............. 25 40 - 65
Chico State................... 27 20 - 47
Points in the paint-UAA 22,CSUC 24. Points off turnovers-UAA 21,CSUC 12.
2nd chance points-UAA 10,CSUC 4. Fast break points-UAA 0,CSUC 2.
Bench points-UAA 17,CSUC 14. Score tied-8 times. Lead changed-10 times.
Last FG-UAA 2nd-00:33, CSUC 2nd-02:19.
Largest lead-UAA by 18 2nd-00:33, CSUC by 4 2nd-18:28.
