There are very few things that are more satisfying in life than the feeling that everything is coming up roses during the holiday season. That wave of glad tidings is exactly what the Chico State women's basketball team is experiencing heading into Christmas and New Year's, as the Wildcats wrapped up the calendar year by reeling off their fourth consecutive victory, beating Humboldt State 60-51 Saturday at Acker Gym.
The win not only pushes the 'Cats' record to 8-4 on the season, but also moves Chico State into a tie for fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 4-3 conference mark.
Less than three weeks ago, the Wildcats were 0-3 in CCAA play and languishing near the bottom of the standings. The 'Cats' longest winning streak of the season now has head coach Brian Fogel's squad knocking on the door to the conference's upper tier.
The Chico State bench provided plenty of offensive punch in Saturday's victory, outscoring Humboldt's reserves 31-2. In less than 20 minutes of action, Brynn Thoming led the 'Cats with a career-high 14 points, while Shay Stark, Myli Martinez, and Daisha Abdelkader each contributed nine points to the Chico State attack. Stark and Haley Ison pulled down a team-high six rebounds, with Abdelkader dishing out five assists.
The defensive did its part as well, holding the Lumberjacks to just 28.8 percent shooting. Reigning CCAA Player of the Week Alexia Thrower was 12-for-24 from the field on the way to scoring a game-high 30 points, but the rest of the Humboldt State players combined to shoot just 16.6 percent (7-for-42) on the night.
A jumper by Ison and 3-pointers by Martinez and Abdelkader gave Chico State an 8-2 lead midway through the first quarter, and the 'Cats were still up by five when the Lumberjacks dropped in a layup and buried a trey late in the period to knot up the score at 10-all.
The Wildcats' defense clamped down on Humboldt in the second quarter, holding the Lumberjacks to just 1-of-15 shooting. Chico State took full advantage and slowly built a double-digit lead thanks to another Martinez 3-pointer and buckets by Thoming, Abdelkader, and Vanessa Holland. The two teams headed to the locker room with the 'Cats owning a 25-15 halftime lead.
Down by 11 three minutes into the third quarter, Humboldt was able to finally get its offense in gear, going on a 13-2 run to knot up the contest at 32-apiece. A Thoming layup put the Wildcats back in front, and a big 3-pointer by Holland with 15 seconds remaining in the period gave Chico State a 37-34 lead heading into the final 10-minute stanza.
Buckets by Stark and Hannah Washington pushed the Wildcats' advantage to eight two minutes into the fourth quarter, only to see the Lumberjacks whittle the deficit back down to three at 42-39. The 'Cats again answered the challenge—Thoming delivered a layup and Maddy Wong buried what would be her only 3-pointer of the evening to balloon Chico State's lead to 48-39.
Humboldt crept to within 50-45 with three minutes to play, but the Wildcats were determined not to let their lead slip away, and an 8-2 run—highlighted by three Thoming buckets—put the 'Cats up 58-47 with less than a minute remaining. Stark iced the game with a pair of late free throws, and Chico State went on to post the 60-51 victory—the first time since December 1, 2012 that the Wildcats have beaten the 'Jacks at Acker Gym.
Chico State breaks for the holidays before returning to action Thursday, January 2. The Wildcats will be in Southern California to take on Cal State LA, with tipoff slated for 5:30 p.m.
