Box Score POMONA – The Chico State women's basketball team picked a perfect time to play its best 40 minutes of the season. On the road against 14th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona, the Wildcats, needing a win to stay in postseason contention, never trailed against a talented Broncos squad, shooting nearly 51 percent from the field and burying a season-high 11 3-pointers to post a convincing 85-73 victory Thursday night at Kellogg Gymnasium in Pomona.
With Thursday's win, Chico State improves to 10-5 on the season and moves into sole possession of seventh place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 6-5 conference mark. CCAA leader Cal Poly Pomona saw its five-game winning streak go by the boards, falling to 12-3 overall and 9-2 in CCAA play.
Six Wildcats scored in double figures – Jazmine Miller leading the way with 17 points, three 3-points and six assists. Annie Ward matched her season high with five 3-pointers on the way to a 15-point night; McKenzie Dalthorp contributed 14 points, Hannah Womack buried a trio of treys to finish with 12 points; Michelle Walker pulled down six rebounds and scored a career-high 11 points, and Courtney Hamilton chipped in with 10 points while dishing out seven assists and notching three steals. Cal Poly Pomona's Ariel Marsh led all scorers with 24 points in a losing effort.
The two teams split the first 12 points of the contest, and then the Wildcats began bombing away from long distance. Ward's first 3-pointer kicked off a 13-3 Chico State run which also saw Miller bury a pair of treys, and the 'Cats raced to a 19-9 lead. Chico State didn't stop there – three 3-pointers by Womack kept Pomona back on its heels, and a Walker layup put the Wildcats up 30-16. The Broncos scored eight of the next nine points to cut the deficit in half, but Ward knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to extend the 'Cats advantage to 13. Chico State closed out the half with back-to-back buckets by Dalthorp and Walker to give the Wildcats a 45-30 lead at intermission.
The 'Cats gave up a 3-pointer to open the second half, but answered with another Ward 3-pointer and an Analise Riezebos jumper to make the score 50-33. Multiple free throws by Miller and Walker and layups by Miller and Hamilton stretched Chico State's lead to 61-41, but Pomona stayed close via free throws, as Hamilton, Womack and Dalthorp each picked up four fouls. The 'Cats received a huge break when reigning CCAA Player of the Week Jada Blackwell fouled out with 8:46 to play, and a Miller 3-pointer gave Chico State a 68-50 lead.
The Broncos crept to within 70-57 with 6:19 remaining, but the 'Cats went back up by 19 as a Dalthorp layup capped off a 6-0 run. With time dwindling down, Pomona rallied to pull to within a dozen, but a Dalthorp jumper pushed Chico State's lead to 80-66 with two minutes to play. Though Hamilton, Womack and Dalthorp would eventually foul out, the Wildcats were able to convert some clutch free throws down the stretch and effectively run out the clock to come away with the 85-73 upset victory.
The Wildcats take Friday off before resuming their road swing Saturday in Arcata against Humboldt State. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
