BELMONT—Maddy Wong established herself long ago as one of the top 3-point shooters in Chico State women's basketball history. The Wildcats' 2019–20 season opener Saturday saw the senior guard continue to connect from long distance, nailing four treys—including a pair of clutch 3's in the fourth quarter—to lead the 'Cats to a 49-47 victory over Notre Dame de Namur during the CCAA/PacWest Challenge at Walter Gleason Gym in Belmont.
Wong finished with a game-high 16 points, and the four treys now gives the Elk Grove product 143 in her Chico State career, tying Hannah Womack for eighth on the Wildcats' all-time 3-pointers list. Freshman Caylee Hermanson scored 10 points Saturday in her 'Cats debut, while Mikaila Wegenke added nine points, five rebounds, and three assists to the Chico State attack. Hannah Washington led the Wildcats with seven rebounds, and Shay Stark dished out a game-high seven assists as the 'Cats won their second straight season opener.
Both the Wildcats and Argonauts were clicking offensively in the first quarter. Notre Dame de Namur shot 50 percent from the field, and jumped out to an 8-4 lead. The Argonauts were still up 12-9 when Chico State ended the quarter on an 8-0 run—back-to-back buckets by Wegenke and Hermanson put the Wildcats in front, then baskets by Wong and Hermanson wrapped up the period with the 'Cats sporting a 17-12 advantage.
In the second quarter, Notre Dame de Namur caught the Wildcats at 18-all and went up 22-20 before Chico State tallied seven unanswered points—Wegenke sank two free throws and a jumper, and Wong knocked in her second 3-pointer of the night—to put the 'Cats up 27-22. The Argonauts rallied back to take a 28-27 lead, but Stark's jump shot with one second remaining in the period tickled the twine and gave the Wildcats a 29-28 lead at intermission.
Notre Dame de Namur led through most of the third quarter, at one point building a five-point lead at 34-29. Chico State chipped away in the last four minutes of the period, with three field goals by Hermanson and a 3-pointer by Vanessa Holland pulling the 'Cats even 38-38 heading into the final 10-minute stanza.
The Wildcats held the Argonauts scoreless in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, and field goals by Wong and Holland gave Chico State a 42-38 lead. The Wildcats' offense then went cold over the next four minutes, allowing Notre Dame de Namur to knot up the contest at 42-apiece. But Wong put the 'Cats ahead to stay, connecting on a 3-pointer with 3:09 to play, then buried another trey with 44 seconds remaining to make the score 48-44. The Argonauts responded with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one, and after Washington hit a free throw for the Wildcats with five seconds to go, Notre Dame de Namur tried to win it with a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Sharon Roldan's attempt from behind the arc was off the mark as time ran out, giving Chico State the 49-47 victory.
The Wildcats wrap up the CCAA/PacWest Challenge tomorrow with a Sunday matinee, as Chico State takes on Dominican University at 2 p.m. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
