Box Score SAN BERNARDINO – Reserve point guard Sarah Rebibo rooted hard from the bench as starter Courtney Hamilton took control of the final five minutes of the Chico State women's basketball team's 67-64 win at Cal State San Bernardino. But she did her best work as a Wildcat during her 13 minutes on the floor.
The Southern California native (El Camino Real HS/Citrus CC) had a strong homecoming with eight points, an assist, and even a blocked shot to give the Wildcats a huge lift while Hamilton sat in foul trouble.
Fellow reserve Hannah Womack also played big minutes, scoring 11 points during an eight-minute second-half stretch and finishing with a team-high 14 to help keep hard-charging Cal State San Bernardino at bay.
That set the stage for Hamilton. The senior scored six points and added two blocked shots, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal in the final 5:26 to rally the Wildcats from a point down.
Hamilton had the helper on Analise Riezebos' tiebreaking jumper with 2:15 left that gave Chico State the lead for good. She drove to the basket for a huge insurance bucket that pushed the lead to 67-64 with 30 seconds left and then blocked two shots, including the potential game-tying triple at the buzzer, in the last 20 ticks.
Her dish to Riezebos was a game changer and a record book changer. It was the 407th of her four-year career and moved her past Marissa Bradley into second place on the Wildcats' career assists list.
Chico State improved to 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with the win.
The Wildcats led throughout the first half. In fact, they took a 2-0 lead with Jazmine Miller's two technical free throws before the game even started after Cal State San Bernardino's shot clocks failed to work at game time.
The Coyotes, who trailed by as many as 10, cut it to one with two minutes left before intermission. But Rebibo hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Wildcats ahead and they took a 39-36 advantage into the locker room.
The Wildcats needed the help from the bench. Four of their five starters collected two fouls in the first stanza.
Cal State San Bernardino took its first lead of the game, 40-39, with 15:34 left. That was the first of three lead changes over the next two and a half minutes.
Chico State eventually used a 7-0 run sparked by Hamilton and Womack to retake the lead. A pair of Hamilton steals led to a Womack fast break layup and a Womack triple that made it 48-42 with 12 minutes left.
The Coyotes crept back into it and eventually went back up 53-52 before Dalthrop answered with an inside bucket and Womack railed another 3-pointer. The Coyotes converted on consecutive possessions as well and the teams headed into the final stretch knotted at 57-apiece.
Hamilton, who scored on a drive and then made a pair of free throws to momentarily give Chico State the lead, picked up her fourth foul with 2:50 to go and the Coyotes made both free throws to tie it again at 61-61.
After Riezebos hit the go-ahead jumper Miller made a pair of free throws to make it 65-61. It was 65-64 after the Wildcats allowed a free throw and then offensive rebound and put back before Hamilton hit the biggest bucket of the night.
She finished with eight points, eight rebounds, five steals, three blocks and three assists. Miller mustered nine points and seven rebounds despite a rough shooting night. And Riezebos chipped in 12 points.
The Wildcats are back at it again Saturday night at UC San Diego. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
