After just missing pulling off an upset of Cal State East Bay Friday night at Acker Gym, the Chico State women's basketball team applied more than a little defensive lockdown Saturday in its matchup with Cal State Monterey Bay. The Wildcats held the Otters to just eight field goals over the first three quarters and 12 for the game, while a balanced offensive attack put the 'Cats back in the win column with a 60-36 victory at Acker Gym.
 
Chico State evened its season record at 10-10 with Saturday's win and stayed very much in the hunt for one of the eight California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament berths, as the Wildcats improved to 5-9 in conference play. Cal State Monterey Bay lost for the ninth time in its last 11 games to slip to 8-14 overall and 4-11 in CCAA play.
 
Haley Cremen enjoyed her biggest single night as a Wildcat, posting career highs with 13 points and nine rebounds. Natalie Valenzuela, Brooke Bowen and McKena Barker scored eight points apiece, with Sherise Porchia doling out a game-high five assists. The Wildcats' defense, though, was the main story, holding Monterey Bay to just 20.7 percent shooting (12-for-58) on the night.
 
Saturday was just the latest in a string of superlative defensive efforts by the 'Cats. Over Chico State's last seven games – five of them wins – the Wildcats have surrendered a miniscule 52 points a night.
 
Chico State led from wire-to-wire Saturday, using early baskets by Bowen and Valenzuela to jump out to a 10-3 advantage in the first quarter. The Wildcats finished the period on an 8-3 run to head into the second quarter with an 18-8 lead.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay whittled the deficit to six early in the second period, but the Chico State defense clamped down to shut out the Otters over the final seven minutes of the quarter. The Wildcats received offensive contributions from Barker, Porchia, Cremen, Whitney Branham and Kayla Taylor to fuel an 11-0 run to put Chico State up 31-14 at halftime.
 
The 'Cats opened up a 23-point advantage in the third quarter, with Barker, Cremen, Branham, Bowen and Sammy DeHart all netting buckets to give Chico State a comfortable 44-21 lead heading into the final period.
 
Michelle Townsend gave the Wildcats its biggest lead of the night by draining a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, putting Chico State up 47-21. Monterey Bay never got closer than 20 the rest of the way, and the Wildcats easily rolled to the 60-36 victory.
 
The 'Cats head back on the road next weekend, traveling down to Southern California to take on UC San Diego Friday and Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.