SEASIDE – The Chico State women’s basketball program could never get Shonetta Crain-Williams going in her two years as a Wildcat. They couldn’t stop her Thursday night. Crain-Williams scored all 12 of her points in the game’s final 13:25 to lead California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular-season champion Cal State Monterey Bay to a come-from-behind 54-48 win against the Wildcats at the Kelp Bed.
Chico State used a 14-3 run starting the second half to take a 34-30 lead with 13:53 to play. Pauline Ferrall scored six of her eight points during that stretch, capped by true freshman Jazmine Miller’s two free throws. Miller finished with team highs of 14 points (also a career-high), six rebounds and four assists.
But Crain-Williams, who never took the court for the Wildcats in two years because of knee injuries, scored seven points over the next three minutes, however, a her three-point play following an offensive rebound knotted the score at 40-apiece with 10:04 to play. That was part of an 18-8 run with which the Otters took the lead for good, sending the Wildcats to their sixth straight loss.
Chico State dropped to 14-11 overall and 11-10 in the CCAA after starting the season 9-0. The Wildcats can still grab the No. 5 seed in the CCAA Championship Tournament with a win at San Francisco State Friday night, however, thanks to Cal State Stanislaus’ loss to the Gators Thursday. The Wildcats will be the No. 6 seed if they lose and either Cal State Stanislaus or Humboldt State loses as well, and the No. 7 seed if they lose and both Cal State Stanislaus and Humboldt State wins.
The 22nd-ranked Otters improved to 23-2 overall and 19-2 in the CCAA. They’ll likely be the top seed in the upcoming CCAA Championship Tournament. However, there’s an outside chance the Otters could host Chico State in Tuesday’s first round. Cal State Monterey Bay would have to lose Friday, Cal Poly Pomona would have to win, and UC San Diego would have to beat Cal State San Bernardino for the Otters to be the No. 2 seed. Chico State would be the No. 7 seed and travel back to Seaside if the Wildcats lose at San Francisco State Friday and Cal State Stanislaus and Humboldt State both win.
The Otters got to 23-2 with defensive performances like Thursday night’s. The nation’s top-ranked defensive team in terms of points allowed held the Wildcats to 30-percent shooting, including 1-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Wildcats, who also committed 15 turnovers, shot a combined 1-for-23 from 3-point range in their two meetings with Cal State Monterey Bay this season while holding them to an average of 43 points per game.
The Otters held Chico State scoring leader Molly Collins to just three points. Her first basket of the game came with 19 seconds to play. That was the only field goal for the Wildcats in the game’s final 7:31. They had opportunities to draw even thanks to their own stingy defense – Monterey shot just 31 percent – but couldn’t get enough open looks.
Miller’s two free throws had drawn the Wildcats to within 48-45 with 2:17 left. But they turned it over with a chance to cut deeper after the Otters made 1-of-2 from the line on their next possession. By the time Miller made 1-of-2 from the line to trim the deficit back to three at 49-46, only 1:01 remained on the clock.
The Wildcats got the stop they desperately needed, but Crain-Williams outfought Taylor Lydon and Kristen Marquardt for her fifth rebound of the second half. The Wildcats were forced to foul and London Houchin sank both free throws.
Collins’ quick hitter breathed some life back into the Wildcats, but Houchin sank two more charities and then Collins missed a 3-pointer as the final seconds ticked away.
Houchin finished with a game-high 18 points for the Otters. Crain-Williams chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals against her former mates in 19 minutes off the bench. Julie Heurung grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with six points and a pair of blocked shots.
Miller was the lone Wildcat in double figures. Fellow freshman Analise Riezebos joined Ferrall with eight points. Taylor Lydon posted seven points and matched her career high with two blocked shots.
Chico State’s final regular-season game at San Francisco State Friday night will tip at 5:30 PM. The opening round of the CCAA Championship Tournament takes place Tuesday night.
BOX SCORE
