Box Score HAYWARD – The basketball gods were smiling Saturday on the Chico State women's basketball team…well, sort of. The Wildcats came up short in a physical road contest against Cal State East Bay, falling in Hayward to the host Pioneers 63-60, but thanks to other action around the conference, the 'Cats head back to Chico knowing they will be one of the six teams competing in next month's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament.
Despite the loss – just the second for the 'Cats since mid-January – Chico State (17-7 overall) remains alone in second place in the CCAA standings with a 13-7 conference record as its closest pursuers, Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, also lost Saturday.
Cal State Stanislaus and San Francisco State also lost Saturday, assuring the Wildcats one of the six conference tournament berths. If the 'Cats can win one of their final two regular season games next weekend, they will earn one of the tourney's two first round byes. Cal State East Bay, playing itself back into the CCAA postseason picture, won its second straight and improved to 14-13 overall while moving into sole possession of sixth place with an 11-9 conference mark.
Jazmine Miller led the Wildcats Saturday with 15 points, but shot just 3-for-15 from the field. Courtney Hamilton scored 12 points and dished out five assists, and in the process became just the second player in the program's history with 500 career assists. Annie Ward knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with nine points, while Analise Riezebos scored eight points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Chico State and East Bay split the game's first 14 points Saturday, with two McKenzie Dalthorp layups and a trey by Ward accounting for all the Wildcat points. The 'Cats then went ice cold, going over eight minutes without scoring. The Pioneers took advantage by scoring 12 straight points to build a 19-7 lead. Hannah Womack and Sarah Rebibo hit back-to-back 3-pointers as Chico State cut the deficit in half, but with 5:39 left in the period East Bay had the advantage back to a dozen. The Wildcats answered by reeling off an 11-0 run, highlighted by a Miller 3-pointer and layups by Hamilton and Michelle Walker to pull to within 25-24. The Pioneers scored the final five points of the half to lead 30-24 at intermission.
The Wildcats were down 34-29 early in the second half before bounding out in front – free throws by Miller and Walker plus a Ward 3-pointer put Chico State on top 36-34. Minutes later a 3-pointer by East Bay's Brianna Terrance gave the Pioneers a 41-38 lead, and the 'Cats found themselves playing catch-up the rest of the game. With two minutes to play, a Hamilton steal and layup brought Chico State within one, but East Bay responded with an 8-2 run to extend its lead to 60-53.
The Pioneers' inability to hit free throws down the stretch kept the 'Cats in the contest. East Bay missed five charities in the final 1:31, but still led 61-55 with 45 seconds remaining. Chico State made one last charge – with under 20 seconds left, Riezebos delivered a layup and Miller converted a three-point play, and suddenly it was a 61-60 games with 10 seconds to play. The Wildcats quickly fouled East Bay's Tori Breshers, who sank two clutch free throws, and Miller's 3-point attempt to try to tie the game in the final seconds was off the mark, giving the Pioneers the hard-fought 63-60 victory.
Chico State returns to Acker Gym next weekend for their final two home games of the regular season. The Wildcats take on Humboldt State Friday, followed by CCAA-leading Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m.
