Stanislaus State found out the hard way Sunday—if you concede the 3-ball to the Chico State women's basketball team, the Wildcats' talented stable of long-distance shooters will make you pay. Fourteen of the 'Cats 19 field goals on the afternoon came from behind the arc, and five treys in the final 4:53 of play proved to be the back-breaker as Chico State outscored the visiting Warriors 25-9 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 67-58 victory at Acker Gym.
Sunday's victory evened Chico State's season record at 5-5, and moved the Wildcats to 2-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Stanislaus State fell to 10-2 overall while suffering its first conference loss, slipping to 5-1 in CCAA play.
India Starr and Morgan Mathis came off the bench to light it up from downtown, combining for seven 3-pointers—including all five Wildcat treys in the decisive fourth quarter. Starr finished with a career-high 15 points, with Mathis scoring 11 on the afternoon. Haley Ison delivered a trio of 3-pointers, contributing 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists to the 'Cats' attack. Bailey Jones knocked down three treys and scored 11 points, while Makenzi Laporte scored six points and posted careers bests with 15 rebounds and six assists.
Chico State used 3-point buckets by Ison and Jones to stake itself to an early 12-8 lead in the opening period, but was held to just one field goal over the last three minutes, as the quarter ended with Stanislaus State using a 10-4 run to grab an 18-16 advantage.
The Warriors led for the first seven minutes of the second quarter and were up 27-22 when two Starr free throws and a 3-pointer by Jones knotted up the contest. Stanislaus went back in front of the strength of a three-point play and fast break layup by Da'Myiah Lewis to head into the locker room with a 32-27 halftime lead.
Jones drained a 3-pointer to get things started on a positive note for the 'Cats in the third quarter, and baskets by Jazmyne Lillie and Jordan Morris gave Chico State a brief 34-32 lead. The Warriors quickly regained the advantage, but a trey by Starr tied up the contest at 39-all with 3:55 remaining in the period. Stanislaus proceeded to finish out the quarter on a 10-3 run to build a 49-42 lead heading into the final 10-minute stanza.
The Warriors went up nine early in the fourth quarter, but free throws by Lillie, Morris, and Laporte helped the Wildcats chip away at the deficit, pulling to within 51-46. With 4:53 to play, the 'Cats commenced with their long-distance assault—in a span of three-and-a-half minutes, two Starr 3-pointers and three treys by Mathis fueled a big 15-5 run to put Chico State on top 61-56.
The Wildcats' defense did its part in the fourth quarter, holding Stanislaus to just three field goals—and just one over the final 4:25—while Chico State iced the game with late free throws by Laporte, Jones, and Mathis. When the final horn sounded, the 'Cats had not only wiped out a nine-point fourth quarter deficit, but won going away 67-58.
Chico State hits the road this coming week for a pair of CCAA contests. Thursday the Wildcats will be in Hayward to take on Cal State East Bay at 5:30 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. Saturday matinee in Southern California against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
