CHICO – After Friday's scoring free-for-all with Humboldt State, it only made sense that after scoring 84 points in a losing effort, the Chico State women's basketball team would face the top defensive team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Bernardino came into Acker Gym and predictably kept the score down for most of the contest, then in crunch time posted 13 unanswered points while holding the Wildcats scoreless over the final 4:14 to win going away 56-45.
 
Chico State suffered its fifth straight defeat and seventh in the last eight games to fall to 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the CCAA. Cal State San Bernardino notched its second consecutive win to improve to 9-3 on the season and 5-3 in conference play.

 

Whitney Branham led the Wildcats with 14 points on the night, with Hannah Womack extending her string of double-digit scoring performances to a dozen with 10. Ashtyn Anderson enjoyed another productive game off the bench, tying her career high with 10 points while pulling down seven rebounds. Michelle Walker led the 'Cats with eight boards.
 
San Bernardino spotted Chico State the game's first bucket, then scored 11 of the next 14 points to go up 11-5 six minutes into the opening period. Womack and Tyler Prange nailed 3-pointers to highlight a 12-1 run as the Wildcats surged ahead 17-12, but it would turn out to be their biggest lead of the night. The Coyotes tied things up at 19-apiece and, with the game still knotted up at 24-all, Bisera Peshkova buried a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the half, giving San Bernardino a 27-24 lead at intermission.
 
The Coyotes extended their lead to seven early in the second half, but then it was Chico State's turn to rachet up the defensively intensity, holding San Bernardino to just one field goal over a nine-minute stretch, enabling the Wildcats to slowly chip away at the deficit and pull ahead 42-41 with 6:10 remaining. After the Coyotes briefly regained the lead, Branham connected from long distance to put the 'Cats back on top 45-43 with just over four minutes to play.
 
That would be it for the Chico State offense, though, as the Wildcats committed a pair of turnovers and went 0-for-4 from the field in the game's final four minutes. San Bernardino delivered three buckets to go up 50-45 with 1:15 to play, forcing Chico State to foul. Four free throws in the final 48 seconds sealed the deal as the Coyotes completed their late 13-0 run and notch the 56-45 victory.   
 
The Wildcats are back in action next weekend, hosting San Francisco State Friday and Sonoma State on Saturday. Both games are slated to tip off at 5:30 p.m.