Box Score CHICO – The two best women’s basketball teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) squared off Saturday at Acker Gym, and as expected, first place Chico State and second place UC San Diego battled and clawed for 40 exciting minutes, turning in one of the most entertaining games of the season. In a contest where the biggest lead for either team was just five points, the Tritons held the Wildcats scoreless in the final 4:07 and came away with a hard-fought 67-65 road victory.
Saturday’s loss snapped Chico State’s six-game winning streak and dropped the Wildcats to 19-3 on the season and into a first place tie with UC San Diego with a 15-3 conference record. The Tritons won their ninth in a row to improve to 17-8 overall and 15-3 in CCAA play.
The ’Cats shot a solid 42.6 percent from the field in the losing effort, but UC San Diego did just well enough offensively – 25 of its 67 points came on second chance baskets – to pull out the win and complete a sweep of the regular season series.
Monnie Davidson-Mays led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Jazmine Miller contributed 11 points, three 3-pointers and a team-high nine rebounds. UC San Diego featured four players scoring in double figures, with Emily Osga and Erin Dautremont topping the Tritons with 14 points apiece.
UC San Diego grabbed an early 9-8 lead, but a 3-pointer by Hannah Womack and baskets by Davidson-Mays, Synchro Bull and Analise Riezebos fueled a 10-4 run to put the Wildcats up 18-13. The ’Cats led for nearly the remainder of the period, but a pair of Triton baskets in the final minutes pulled UC San Diego to within 31-30 at intermission.
Miller continued to light it up early in the second half, providing a pair of key 3-pointers to keep the Tritons at bay. With 13 minutes to play, UC San Diego jumped in front 44-43, but layups by Womack and Annie Ward helped Chico State quickly regain the lead at 47-44. Two McKenzie Dalthorp jumpers was all the offense the Wildcats could muster over the next three minutes, and the Tritons rode two Megan Perry 3-pointers to go up 55-51 with eight minutes remaining.
It was then Chico State’s turn to flash some defense, outscoring UC San Diego 14-6 over the next four minutes to take a 65-61 lead. But the Wildcats could not find the bottom of the bucket again, committing three turnovers and missing their last six shots over the final four minutes. Jumpers by Dana Webster and Emily Osga tied the score, and with 1:19 left Osga put the Tritons in front with a pair of free throws. Down 67-65, the Wildcats still had a chance to surge ahead, but despite wide-open looks, Miller missed two late 3-point attempts, Bull misfired on a jumper, and a desperation 3-pointer by Davidson-Mays at the buzzer was off the mark, and UC San Diego escaped with the 67-65 win.
Chico State plays its final two regular season home games next weekend. The Wildcats take on Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday, with Cal State L.A. coming to Acker Gym for Senior Night on Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
