OAKLAND – After three road games to open the 2016–17 season, the Chico State women's basketball team is heading home with a pair of wins under its belt. The Wildcats, which plays in the friendly confines of Acker Gym for the first time Friday, traveled to Oakland Wednesday and held Holy Names to just 20 second half points to down the host Hawks 64-54 at Tobin Gymnasium.
 
The win was Chico State's second straight after its season-opening loss to Dominican University; the Wildcats are now 2-1 on the season. Holy Names fell to 0-2.
 
Whitney Branham was one of four Chico State players to score in double figures Wednesday. Branham was 5-for-8 from 3-point land and finished with 20 points, with Natalie Valenzuela contributing 14 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Madison Wong came off the bench to nail a trio of treys and register 12 points, and McKena Barker delivered 10 points, seven boards and four assists in the Wildcats' win.
 
The opening quarter belonged to Branham, who knocked down three 3-pointers and scoring all but five of the Wildcats' points as Chico State took an 18-9 lead into the second quarter.
 
Another Branham trey and two Barker free throws pushed the 'Cats' advantage to 23-14 early in the second period, but the Hawks answered with a 10-0 run to go up 25-24. A Kayla Taylor layup and a pair of Valenzuela free throws briefly put Chico State back on top, only to see Holy Names respond with eight straight points to build a 34-27 lead. Jo Paine stopped the bleeding by draining a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the quarter, and the Hawks went into halftime up 34-30.
 
Holy Names netted the first four points of the third quarter, but an effective zone defense by Chico State disrupted the Hawks' offense. Meanwhile, a Branham 3-pointer, layups by Barker and Valenzuela, and free throws by Paine and Valenzuela powered an 11-0 run to vault the Wildcats back in front. Wong buried a 3-pointer late in the period and the 'Cats went into the fourth quarter with a 44-41 lead.
 
Wong made sure Holy Names wouldn't mount a fourth quarter comeback. The Hawks crept to within 46-44, but Wong hit a pair of 3-pointers and a jumper to spearhead a 12-2 Chico State run to balloon the Wildcats' lead to 58-46. Valenzuela added a late layup and the 'Cats cruised to the 64-54 victory.
 
Chico State takes on Western Oregon Friday at 7:30 p.m. as part of the 44th annual Carl's Jr. Coslet Classic. The first game of the two-day event tips off at 5:30 when Sonoma State takes on Dixie State.