POMONA – The Chico State women’s basketball team knew it was in for a major challenge Saturday, facing defending California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and NCAA West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona on the road, and for a little over 20 minutes, the Wildcats played well and held their own against the Broncos. But Pomona, which features four returning starters from the team that won 28 games a year ago, proved too much for the ’Cats in the second half, defeating Chico State 70-55 at Kellogg Gymnasium.
With the loss, Chico State dropped to 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in the CCAA. Cal Poly Pomona improved to 5-0 with Saturday’s victory and 3-0 in conference play.
Jazmine Miller was the lone Wildcat to score in double figures, delivering a career-high 18 points. Synchro Bull had seven points and six rebounds, with Ymonne Davidson-Mays contributing six points and seven boards. Megan Ford was one of four Cal Poly Pomona players scoring in double digits, pouring in 19 points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds.
Chico State played Pomona’s even in the first half, countering the Broncos’ size with quickness. Miller started the scoring with a 3-point bucket, but Pomona answered by registering eight of the next 10 points to go up 8-5. A pair of Crystal Sewell layups and two baskets by Natasha Smith – one a 3-pointer – keyed a 9-2 Wildcats run to give Chico State a 14-10 lead. No sooner had the Broncos tied up the contest, Courtney Harrison drained a long 3-pointer to put the ’Cats back in front 17-14. A 6-2 run gave Pomona a brief lead, but a 3-point play by Synchro Bull put the Wildcats on top 22-20. The Broncos offset a Jennifer Rene layup with a field goal and two free throws in the final two minutes of the period, and the two teams went into halftime deadlocked at 24 apiece.
Two big Pomona runs did in the Wildcats in the second half. After a Miller layup put Chico State back in front, 26-24, the Broncos reeled off 10 of the next 12 points to go up 34-28. Miller got two points back with a pair of free throws, but Pomona responded with a 15-4 run to extend its advantage to 49-34. Miller literally provided all the Wildcat offense for much of the second half – posting 11 consecutive Chico State points during one stretch – but they weren’t nearly enough to get the ’Cats back in the contest. A Miller 3-point play got Chico State to within 59-47 with 3:15 to play, but that would be as close as the Wildcats would come, as Pomona ran out the clock to register the 70-55 victory.
BOX SCORE
Chico State is back in action next weekend, traveling to Seattle to take part in the CCAA/GNAC Challenge. Friday at 5 p.m. the Wildcats take on Western Washington, then go head-to-head with host team Seattle Pacific Saturday at 7 p.m.
