Box Score ROHNERT PARK – The Chico State women’s basketball team’s high-energy offense usually gets most of the accolades, but the Wildcats’ defensive efforts have been just as big a factor in this season’s overwhelming success. On a night when it took awhile for the ’Cats’ offense to heat up, the Chico State defense held Sonoma State to just 17 points through the first 26 minutes, enabling the No. 11 Wildcats to roll past the Seawolves 66-48 Saturday at The Wolves’ Den in Rohnert Park.
With its fifth straight win, Chico State improves to 18-2 overall – the best record through 20 games in the 44-year history of Wildcat women’s basketball. The ’Cats are now 14-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), maintaining a one-game lead over second place UC San Diego in the conference standings. Sonoma State slipped to 6-14 on the season and 4-12 in CCAA play with Saturday’s loss.
Annie Ward led a balanced Chico State scoring attack with 12 points, while Monnie Davidson-Mays contributed an effective all-around performance with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Analise Riezebos chimed in with 10 points and six boards, and Jazmine Miller, while held to just three points, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. The Wildcats shot 46.4 percent from the field (26-for-56).
For the second straight game, Chico State’s offense was slow to get going – a jumper and 3-pointer by Davidson-Mays accounted for all the Wildcats’ points in the first eight minutes as Sonoma State grabbed an early 8-5 lead. The ’Cats then reeled off seven straight points on buckets by Riezebos and Courtney Hamilton and a Hannah Womack 3-pointer to go up 12-8, but a trey by the Seawolves’ Alysa Ito cut Chico State’s lead to one.
The Wildcats’ defense proceeded to put the clamps down – Sonoma State could muster just two field goals in the final 7:13 of the half, while offensively the ’Cats pushed the ball at every opportunity, resulting in several transition baskets. Miller and Ward each buried 3-pointers as Chico State outscored Sonoma State 14-4 to wrap up the half, giving the Wildcats a 26-15 lead at intermission.
Chico State extended its advantage to 23 early in the second half – three-point plays by McKenzie Dalthorp, Samantha Messersmith and Synchro Bull highlighted a 14-2 run to make the score 40-17. Sonoma State scored 10 of the next 12 points to cut the deficit to 15, but a Riezebos three-point play and jumpers by Bull and Dalthorp padded the ’Cats’ lead at 49-29 with 9:36 to play.
The Seawolves refused the fold, outscoring Chico State 11-3 over the next five minutes to pull to within 52-40. Once again, though, the Wildcats responded – layups by Ward, Riezebos, Davidson-Mays and Messersmith and a 3-pointer by Ward fueled a 12-4 run to make the score 64-44 with 1:45 remaining, effectively putting the game out of reach. The ’Cats would go on to post the 66-48 victory and sweep the regular season series with Sonoma.
The Wildcats returns to Acker Gym next weekend to host Cal State San Bernardino Friday and UC San Diego on Saturday. Both games are set to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
