Chico State women's basketball fans certainly got their money's worth Saturday night, as the Wildcat faithful were treated to a near-miraculous comeback, a new school and conference 3-point record, a near triple-double, and clutch last-second shots by both the 'Cats and Humboldt State in a triple overtime contest that had everyone on the edge of their Acker Gym seats. The visiting Lumberjacks finally pulled away in the third OT period, handing Chico State a 105-96 setback that was much closer than the final score indicated.
With Saturday's loss, the Wildcats dip to 4-5 on the season and 2-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Humboldt State moved to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in CCAA play.
Bailey Jones scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Wildcats' offensive attack, with her 10 3-pointers setting a new CCAA single game record, eclipsing the previous mark of nine set by Cal State Dominguez Hills' Taylor Champion in 2015. The 10 treys also put Jones in the Chico State record books, topping the old school record of eight jointly held by Tessa Isola (1996) and Audi Spencer (2006). Jones is also the first Chico State player to score over 30 points in a game since Whitney Branham racked up 31 against Humboldt State back on November 18, 2017.
Chico State collectively buried 17 3-pointers Saturday, tying the all-time team single game record set by the 2002–03 Wildcats March 8, 2003 versus Cal State LA.
Charity Gallegos came within one rebound of becoming just the second Chico State player in program history to record a triple-double. She finished Saturday's game with 25 points, 10 assists, and nine boards.
Morgan Mathis hit a trio of treys on the night, contributing 11 points and six rebounds on the night. Jordan Morris grabbed eight rebounds for the 'Cats.
Humboldt State's Julia Iman led all scorers Saturday with 33 points to go along with 18 rebounds and eight assists. Lumberjacks Ashley Peralta and Madison Parry delivered 22 and 20 points, respectively.
The first quarter did not exactly suggest the excitement that would come later in the contest, as Humboldt State raced out to a huge 21-2 lead in the first six minutes of action. The Chico State offense finally got going before the end of the period, using a 15-3 run—highlighted by a Morris 3-pointer and a pair of treys from Mikaela Bismillah—to pull to within 24-17 heading into the second quarter.
The Lumberjacks pushed the lead back up to 16 in the second period, only to see the 'Cats whittle the deficit down to five before halftime. A 3-pointer by Jones and multiple buckets by Gallegos and Myli Martinez led an 18-9 charge, and Chico State found itself very much in the game, trailing 41-36 at intermission.
The 'Cats kept chipping away in the third quarter, but Humboldt was able to build a double-digit advantage and maintain it for the majority of the period. Down by 14 with 2:17 left in the quarter, Chico State used another Jones 3-pointer and baskets by Haley Ison and Jazmyne Lillie to fashion a 7-0 run to make the score 57-50 heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation.
A Jones 3-pointer—the third of four treys she would knock down in the period—pulled the Wildcats even at 61-all with six minutes remaining. The Lumberjacks scored on their next two possessions, but 3-pointers by Jones, Mathis, and Gallegos fueled a 9-2 Chico State run that put the 'Cats on top 70-67 with 2:17 left. Humboldt hammered home two 3-pointers of their own to retake the lead, but a free throw by Bismillah and a layup by Gallegos tied the score with 10 seconds left on the clock. The Wildcats forced a turnover, but Ison's piotential game-winning jumper was off the mark as time expired, sending the two teams into overtime knotted up at 73-apiece.
Another Jones 3-pointer and two free throws by Morris in the first overtime period gave Chico State what turned out to be its biggest lead of the night at 78-73. Now it was the Lumberjacks' turn to battle back, catching the 'Cats at 80-all with 15 seconds left. Mathis, though, came through with the biggest shot of her young Wildcat career, burying a clutch 3-pointer just nine seconds later. Humboldt refused to fold: Iman swished a desperation trey with two seconds left, tying the score at 83-apiece heading into the second overtime period.
Chico State was able to forge a pair of leads early in the second OT, but Humboldt put together five unanswered points to go up 91-88. Jones tied the game and broke the program record with her ninth 3-pointer of the night with 1:41 remaining, and with no more scoring in the period, the Wildcats and Lumberjacks went to a third overtime knotted up at 91-apiece.
The game was tied 93-93 in the third OT before Humboldt State finally pulled away on the strength of two baskets and eight free throws down the stretch. Chico State's lone basket over the final four minutes was Jones hitting her 10th 3-pointer of the night, but it wasn't enough to keep the Lumberjacks from claiming a thrilling, hard-fought 105-96 victory.
The Wildcats take a two-week holiday break before resuming play January 2, kicking off the New Year with a Sunday afternoon tilt against Stanislaus State at Acker Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
