CHICO – First, the good news: the Chico State women’s basketball team posted one of their best offensive nights of the season Friday at Acker Gym, shooting nearly 52 percent from the field and coming within a point of scoring 80 for the second time in the 2010-11 campaign. Now, the bad news: California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) leader Cal Poly Pomona picked the usually tenacious Wildcat defense apart – the Broncos shot 60 percent and piled up 60 points in the second half, and handed the ’Cats their fourth consecutive loss by a final of 93-79.
The loss dropped Chico State to 14-9 overall and 11-8 in the CCAA standings. The fifth place Wildcats, trying to overtake fourth place Cal State San Bernardino to earn a first round home game in the CCAA Championship Tournament, missed a golden opportunity to make up ground on the Coyotes, who dropped a 90-82 decision Friday to Cal State Stanislaus. Cal Poly Pomona, the top-ranked team in the NCAA West Region, won its 14th in a row to improve to 20-2 on the season and 17-1 in conference play.
Friday’s loss marked the first time a Chico State team had given up 90 points in a game since losing in Arcata to Humboldt State 90-82 back on Jan. 26, 2007. You have to go all the way back to Dec. 29, 2003 and a 91-85 loss to UC Davis for the last time the Wildcats surrendered 90 points at Acker Gym.
Pauline Ferrall, fresh off last weekend’s 17-point performance against UC San Diego, was even better Friday, hitting 9-of-13 from the field and leading the ’Cats with a career-high 23 points. Molly Collins posted double digits for the 12th time this season, scoring 17 points and handing out a career-high five assists, while Taylor Lydon buried four 3-pointers to finish with 16 points and eight rebounds. Freshman Courtney Hamilton dished out eight assists as Chico State hit 51.7 percent of its shots in the losing effort. Reyana Colson, the CCAA’s leading scorer, delivered 18 in the second half to finish with 25 points to go along with seven assists for Cal Poly Pomona. Four other Broncos scored in double figures, with Sarah Semenero hitting three 3-pointers en route to a 19-point night.
Chico State looked solid in the opening half, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and was in front practically the entire period, taking a 35-33 lead into haltime. The Wildcats were still on top 51-49 with 14 minutes to play, but Cal Poly Pomona ripped off a 17-4 run to go up 66-55 with 9:30 left. The Broncos never led by more than 14 in the second half, but always seemed to have an immediate answer to a Chico State bucket. The ’Cats pulled to within eight points Jazmine Miller’s layup made the score 74-66 with 5:41 to play, but Pomona scored five unanswered points to go back up by 13, and Chico State could get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
BOX SCORE
Chico State plays its final home game of the regular season Saturday, taking on Cal State San Bernardino. It’s also Senior Night, with Taylor Lydon, Molly Collins, Katie Girten and Kristin Marquardt receiving special recognition prior to their final regular season home game at Acker Gym. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.; fans that can’t make the game in person can follow the action via Live Stats, available on the Wildcat Athletics website. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN 101.7 and 1340 AM locally, as well as through the Wildcat Athletics website. Mike Wessels will provide the play-by-play.
