The Chico State women's basketball team gave the hottest team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) all it could handle for 27 minutes Saturday, but in the final 13 it was all UC San Diego. The Wildcats came back from 10 points down in the third quarter to briefly take the lead, but a talented Tritons team scored 29 of the final 38 points to win going away 68-48 at Acker Gym.
 
The loss snapped Chico State's six-game home winning streak and dropped the Wildcats to 12-7 overall and into a tie for seventh place in the CCAA standings with a 7-6 conference mark. UC San Diego improved to 16-3 on the season and maintained its two game lead in the CCAA with a 12-1 conference record.
 
Whitney Branham led the Wildcats Saturday with 13 points, while McKena Barker and Sammy DeHart each contributed eight points and three rebounds. The Wildcats shot just 32.7 percent from the field in bowing to the Tritons for the second time this season.
 
The two teams played even in the first quarter, with Chico State jumping out to a 5-2 lead on the strength of a Branham jumper and free throws by Barker and Kayla Taylor. UC San Diego staged an 8-2 run to go out in front 10-7, but the Wildcats closed the period with buckets by Barker and DeHart to knot up the contest at 11-all.
 
The game was still tied at 14-apiece—Sherise Porchia tying the score with a 3-pointer—when UC San Diego went on a 13-5 run to grab a 27-19 advantage. The 'Cats briefly cut the deficit to five courtesy of a Madison Wong 3-pointer, but a Cassie Macleod jumper gave the Tritons a 29-22 lead at halftime.
 
UC San Diego stretched its lead to 10 early in the third period, only to see the Wildcats come alive, ripping off a 16-5 run—highlighted by two Branham 3-pointers—to go up 40-39. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Tritons registered nine unanswered points to take a 48-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
UC San Diego kept the foot on the gas in the final 10-minute stanza, hitting seven of 14 shots—including three 3-pointers—while holding Chico State to just three field goals. The Tritons outscored the Wildcats 20-8 in the period to cruise to the 20-point victory.
 
The Wildcats are on the road next weekend, traveling to the Bay Area to take on Sonoma State Friday and San Francisco State on Saturday. Both games will tip off at 5:30 p.m.