ARCATA—A frequently-used sports axiom is "it's not how you start, it's how you finish." It certainly applied to the Chico State women's basketball team Thursday night, as the Wildcats found themselves trailing Humboldt State by 17 points early in the second quarter, and by double digits late in the third period. But the gritty, never-say-die 'Cats—who led for a grand total of two minutes the entire night—dug deep for an exciting finish, as Vanessa Holland, returning to her hometown of Arcata, buried a clutch 3-pointer with less than a minute remaining to lift Chico State to a 70-67 victory over the 'Jacks at Lumberjack Arena.
Thursday's win—Chico State's season-best fifth in a row—moves the Wildcats to 17-10 on the season, and thanks to Cal State East Bay's loss to Cal Poly Pomona, the 'Cats are now all alone in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings with a 13-8 conference mark. Already assured a berth in next week's CCAA Tournament, a win in Chico State's final regular season game on Saturday will result in the Wildcats hosting a first round tournament game next Tuesday at Acker Gym.
The 'Cats could grab the CCAA Tournament's No. 3 seed with a win in their final regular season game Saturday, coupled with a Cal Poly Pomona loss to Cal State Monterey Bay. But should the Wildcats lose Saturday and East Bay beats Cal State San Bernardino, Chico State would drop to sixth place and play its opening CCAA Tournament game on the road.
Haley Ison scored 10 second half points to finish with a team-high 16, while also pacing the Wildcats with eight rebounds. Daisha Abdelkader matched her season high with 13 points while doling out three assists, and Hannah Washington added 12 points and six rebounds. Maddy Wong hit a pair of 3-pointers to contribute nine points to the 'Cats' attack, with Holland scoring five points in the fourth quarter comeback to finish with eight points on the night.
The Wildcats shot 48.2 percent (27-for-56) from the field, and outrebounded Humboldt State 37-33 in Thursday's win.
Chico State used layups by Ison and Washington to grab a 4-3 lead two minutes into the first quarter. The Wildcats went cold, though, hitting just two field goals for the rest of the period. Humboldt State used an 11-0 run to jump out in front and build a double-digit lead, and despite buckets by Washington and Shay Stark, the 'Cats trailed 20-8 heading into the second quarter.
The Lumberjacks stretched their lead to 27-10 before Chico State ripped off a 14-0 run—Abdelkader led the way with four field goals, including a 3-pointer—to pull to within 27-24. Humboldt State responded with eight unanswered points to balloon its advantage back to 11, and went into halftime leading the Wildcats 37-26.
In the third quarter, the Lumberjacks went up by 14, only to see the Wildcats cut the deficit to six on the strength of a 10-2 run—Abdelkader, Ison, and Wong each registering a bucket, with Washington and Myli Martinez adding a pair of free throws apiece—to make the score 44-38. Humboldt State used five straight points to push its lead back to 11, but 3-pointers by Martinez, Wong, and Brynn Thoming highlighted an 11-5 'Cats run to end the period, cutting the Lumberjacks' lead to 54-49 heading into the final 10-minute stanza.
Wong's second 3-pointer of the game made it a 57-53 contest early in the fourth quarter, but Humboldt was able to push its advantage back to eight, and led 65-57 with 4:21 to play. It was all Wildcats from there, as Chico State outscored the Lumberjacks 13-2 the rest of the way. Three baskets by Ison and a Washington layup brought the 'Cats to within two at 67-65 with 1:27 remaining, and 35 seconds later Holland plunged the dagger, draining a 3-pointer to put Chico State in front. Abdelkader added some insurance by hitting a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left, and though Humboldt had two chances to tie the game with a 3-pointer, the Lumberjacks came up empty as the clock ran out—the Wildcats holding on for the come-from-behind 70-67 victory to sweep the season series.
Chico State plays its final game of the 2019–20 regular season Saturday, when the Wildcats travel to Turlock to take on the Warriors of Stanislaus State (14-12, 12-9 CCAA). Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
