ARCATA—Free throws may not be the most exciting way to score in basketball, but there's a reason every team relentlessly practices its foul shots. Free throws can frequently be the difference between winning and losing—just ask the Chico State and Humboldt State women's basketball teams. The Lumberjacks had three opportunities Saturday to put the game away at the charity stripe, but missed six straight free throws down the stretch. That gave the Wildcats the opening it needed to steal a victory, and with Shay Stark hitting a pair of foul shots with just over a second to play, the 'Cats—who trailed nearly the entire game—upended Humboldt 62-61 at Lumberjack Gym in Arcata.
With the win—Chico State's fourth straight—the Wildcats improve to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Humboldt State saw its three-game winning streak go by the boards, as the Lumberjacks slipped to 6-3 on the season and 4-2 in CCAA play.
Four Wildcat players scored in double figures Saturday. Stark led the way with 15 points, while adding six rebounds and three assists. McKena Barker posted 13 points and nine rebounds, with Madison Wong hitting three 3-pointers on the way to an 11 point performance. Natalie Valenzuela drained a pair of treys to score 10 points while pulling down six rebounds.
It took over four minutes for Chico State's offense to get cranked up, but a 3-pointer by Wong and a Barker layup pulled the Wildcats to within 6-5 midway through the first quarter. Humboldt State refused to surrender the lead—at one point pushing its advantage to eight—but layups by Stark and Mikaila Wegenke, plus a pair of 3-pointers by Vanessa Holland kept the 'Cats close, and the Lumberjacks took a 21-15 lead into the second period.
Chico State opened the second quarter on an 8-3 run—a Stark layup was bookended by 3-pointers by Wegenke and Valenzuela—to trail by only one, but Humboldt scored six of the next eight points to push its lead to 30-25. The Wildcats evened things up with two minutes left in the period courtesy of a Wong 3-ponter and a Stark layup, only to see the Lumberjacks retake the lead and take a 35-32 advantage into halftime.
Stark's 3-pointer to start the third quarter tied the game at 35-all, but Humboldt State answered with a 17-5 run to go up 52-40. The Wildcats fought back—a 3-pointer and layup by Valenzuela highlighted a 7-0 run to close out the period—and the Lumberjacks had to be content with a 52-47 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The 'Cats continued to make a charge at the start of the final 10-minute stanza. Wong nailed another 3-pointer and layups by Barker and Stark knotted up the contest at 54-apiece with 6:07 to play. Humboldt quickly regained the lead, but back-to-back layups by Valenzuela and Stark put Chico State on top for the first time in the game at 58-57 with 3:13 left.
A layup by Alexia Thrower put the Lumberjacks back in front, and two Jovanah Arrington free throws made it a 61-58 game. Humboldt had a chance to ice it in the final minute, but Tyra Turner missed two free throws, and a Barker layup made it a one point game with 15 seconds remaining. The Wildcats quickly fouled, and this time Thrower missed a pair of free throws, giving Chico State the ball with an opportunity to win it.
Holland missed a baby hook, and Humboldt's Gabrielle Carbajal was fouled as she grabbed the rebound. For the third time, the 'Jacks had a chance to salt the game away at the foul line. But like Turner and Thrower before her, Carbajal missed two straight foul shots, giving the Wildcats one last chance. With the clock winding down, Stark was fouled attempting a shot from half court with 1.1 second left. The sophomore coolly stepped to the charity stripe and made two out three free throws to put the Wildcats in front. Humboldt missed a layup as time ran out, giving Chico State the thrilling 62-61 victory.
The Chico State women will take a two-week holiday break before returning to action Saturday, December 29, when the Wildcats travel to Southern California to take on Cal Poly Pomona. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
