The Chico State women's basketball team officially entered the holiday break with a flourish Saturday at Acker Gym, scoring 25 points and shooting 60 percent in the fourth quarter to erase an eight-point deficit and post a come-from-behind 71-65 win over the visiting Sonoma State Seawolves. The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing streak while notching their first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) victory of the season.
 
Chico State improved to 6-4 overall and 1-3 in the CCAA with Saturday's win. Sonoma State slipped to 6-3 on the year and 2-2 in conference play.
 
Four Wildcat players finished the night scoring in double figures. Whitney Branham and Jo Paine collected 18 points apiece, Natalie Valenzuela added 13 and Madison Wong poured in 10 points off the bench. Paine and Kayla Taylor each pulled down five rebounds to pace the 'Cats.
 
The Wildcats' offense and defense came together in the final 10-minute stanza. After falling behind by eight points early in the fourth quarter, Chico State held Sonoma State to just eight points over the final eight minutes of play, while the 'Cats outscored the Seawolves 13-3 in the final 4:22 to emerge victorious.
 
The two teams played straight up in the first quarter. Branham drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight in the period, but after 10 minutes the Wildcats and Seawolves were knotted up at 20-apiece.
 
Both teams struggled in the second quarter, shooting a combined 9-for-29 from the field. Valenzuela scored six of the Wildcats' 10 points in the period, but that couldn't keep Sonoma State from taking a 31-30 halftime lead.
 
Chico State stayed close in the third period, but the Seawolves always seemed to have the upper hand. With the game tied at 41-apiece, Sonoma State reeled off seven unanswered points to go up 48-41. Wong connected for a 3-pointer and Paine delivered a pair of free throws in the final 1:30 of the quarter, but the Seawolves hung on to the lead and were up 51-46 heading into the final period.
 
Three Kim Savio baskets offset a 3-pointer by Paine in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, pushing the Sonoma State advantage to 57-49. The Chico State defense proceeded to step up and limit the Seawolves to just one field goal over the next seven-plus minutes, allowing the Wildcat offense to make its move—3-pointers by Branham and Wong bookended a big 18-6 run to put the 'Cats on top 67-63 with 38 seconds to play.
 
A Kylie Kiech jumper pulled Sonoma to within two, but a costly Seawolves' turnover combined with Wong and Paine each hitting two free throws down the stretch sealed the deal for Chico State, as the Wildcats put the finishing touches on a thrilling 71-65 victory.
 
The Wildcats go on an 11-day hiatus for the holiday break before finishing up the calendar year at home against Cal State Monterey Bay December 29 and San Francisco State on the 31st.