Box Score SEASIDE – For as hot as the Chico State women's basketball team has been over the last five weeks, the Wildcats know it's the time of the season where you can't take any opponent lightly. Good thing, too – the 'Cats were confronted Friday by the California Collegiate Athletic Association's (CCAA) last place team, Cal State Monterey Bay, and found a battling Otters squad spoiling for an upset. It wasn't until midway through the second half that Chico State took control of the contest, using a 13-1 run to roll to a 64-56 victory at The Kelp Bed.
The win pushed Chico State's overall record to 17-6 and moved the Wildcats into sole possession of second place in the CCAA with a 13-6 conference record. The 'Cats, ranked No. 5 in the West Region, now needs just one victory in their last three regular season games to clinch an invite to next month's CCAA Championship Tournament. Cal State Monterey Bay dropped its third straight decision to fall to 5-17 on the season and 2-17 in conference play.
McKenzie Dalthorp, one of the CCAA's top shooters, was nearly flawless Friday, hitting eight of 10 shots to finish with 16 points while hauling in a team-high seven rebounds. Annie Ward connected on three 3-pointers and contributed 13 points, with Analise Riezebos adding 12 points to the Wildcat attack.
The first half was a low-scoring, back-and-forth affair, with four points being the largest lead for either team. Chico State fell behind early 6-2, but powered by a pair of Dalthorp buckets and 3-pointers by Ward and Hannah Womack, used a 12-5 run to take a 14-11 lead. Monterey Bay scored nine of the next 13 points to go up 20-18, but the Wildcats responded with four baskets – three by Dalthorp – to grab a 26-22 advantage. The Otters again battled back to go back on top, but a Michelle Walker jumper with 1:23 remaining in the period gave Chico State a 28-27 halftime lead.
Monterey Bay took a pair of brief leads early in the second half, but with the score 36-all, Courtney Hamilton drained a 3-pointer that put the Wildcats back on top. Chico State still led 39-38 when the Wildcats put the clamps down defensively, holding the Otters to just a single free throw over a seven minute period. Meanwhile, Chico State scored 13 points – seven on free throws – to build a 52-39 advantage. The 'Cats were still up by 13 with 3:04 to go when Monterey Bay made their final charge, scoring seven unanswered points to pull to within 58-52. But it turned out to be too little and too late for Monterey Bay, as Riezebos, Ward and Jazmine Miller each hit a pair of free throws down the stretch, securing Chico State's 64-56 victory and a sweep of the season series.
The Wildcats are back in action Saturday, playing their final road game of the regular season in Hayward versus Cal State East Bay. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Fans can hear the action locally on Newstalk 1290 KPAY-AM and on the Wildcat Athletics website, with Mike Baca handling the play-by-play. Live Stats and streaming video will also be available online.
