CHICO – The shock of the Chico State women's basketball team squandering a 19-point second half lead gave way to exultation with the clock winding down Friday night against Cal State Monterey Bay, as freshman Whitney Branham coolly drained a clutch 3-pointer with just five seconds left to lift the Wildcats to a dramatic 66-63 win over the visiting Otters at Acker Gym.
 
With Friday's victory, Chico State improved to 10-15 overall and 7-14 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State Monterey Bay dropped its third straight decision to fall to 7-19 on the season and 5-16 in CCAA play.

 

While Branham provided the last-second heroics, the Wildcats featured a balanced offensive attack, with five players scoring in double figures. Branham, Hannah Womack and Michelle Walker led the way with 14 points apiece; Branham and Womack combined for six 3-pointers on the night with Walker grabbing eight rebounds. Brooke Bowen registered her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Annie Ward finished with 11 points to go along with seven boards.
 
The Wildcats and Otters were deadlocked at 16-all nine minutes into the first half when Chico State started to take control of the contest, using a 10-1 run – highlighted by a pair of Ward 3-pointers – to go up 26-17. Monterey Bay crept to within 29-25, but the 'Cats answered with an 11-2 run over the final three minutes of the period. Womack delivered two 3-pointers during that stretch and buckets by Bowen and Walker helped Chico State take a 40-27 lead into halftime.
 
The Wildcats continued to distance themselves in the second half, holding the Otters to just two field goals in the first five minutes to build a seemingly comfortable 50-31 lead. Monterey Bay refused to go quietly, however, and though still trailing by 10 with nine minutes to play, the Otters kept chipping away at the deficit before pulling to within 61-60 with 2:23 to go. Branham drained a big 3-pointer and delivered a layup to push the Wildcats' lead back to six, but Monterey Bay knotted up the contest 66-all with back-to-back 3-pointers with under a minute to play.
 
That set the stage for Branham's game-winning shot. With the clock ticking down and the contest looking like it would go into overtime, Ward fed Branham with a perfect pass on the left wing, and the Acker Gym crowd erupted in cheers as the freshmen let loose with a shot beyond the arc that found nothing but the bottom of the net. With just three seconds left, Monterey Bay was unable to get up a potential game-tying shot, and Chico State came away with the 69-66 victory.
 
The 'Cats wrap up the 2014-15 season Saturday when they host Cal State East Bay. It's also Senior Night, as Wildcats Sarah Rebibo, Michelle Walker, Annie Ward and Hannah Womack will be honored in a special pregame ceremony. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.