ARCATA—Following a cold, soggy afternoon in Arcata, the rain finally stopped falling about the time the Chico State and Cal Poly Humboldt women's basketball teams took the floor for their Thursday night California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) contest. The visiting Wildcats must have been inspired by the wet weather, as they proceeded to make it rain inside Lumberjack Arena, knocking down a season-high 12 3-pointers and shooting over 52 percent from behind the arc on the way to a 75-63 victory over the 'Jacks.
 
Thursday's win moved Chico State to 6-3 on the season and 3-1 in the CCAA. Cal Poly Humboldt slipped to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
 
Brandy Huffhines buried four 3-pointers on the night and led the Wildcats with 20 points. Haley Ison added 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Zhane Duckett contributed 11 points and team highs of eight rebounds and five assists. Jordan Morris and Makenzi Laporte tallied nine points apiece for the 'Cats, who have now won five of their last six contests.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt took advantage of several Chico State turnovers to go up 8-5 early in the first quarter, but a 7-0 run highlighted by a Huffhines 3-pointer and baskets by Morris and Laporte put the Wildcats on top 12-8. The Lumberjacks, however, answered with 12 unanswered points to roar back in front 20-12. Huffhines put a halt to the Humboldt run with a layup, and Ison drained a jumper to end the quarter, cutting the 'Jacks' lead to 22-16 heading into the second quarter.
 
The 'Cats held Humboldt without a field goal for the first five minutes of the second period, and thanks to 3-pointers by Huffhines, Morris, and Laporte, and buckets by Ison, Morris, and Duckett, Chico State used an 13-0 run to build a 32-24 lead. The Lumberjacks quickly cut the deficit to three, but the Wildcats went on a 9-2 run to end the quarter—Myli Martinez connected on a 3-ball, Huffhines dropped in a layup and a pair of free throws, and Duckett converted a breakaway layup—giving Chico State a 41-33 halftime lead.
 
The 'Cats maintained their healthy advantage through most of the third quarter. A 3-pointer by Ison put Chico State up 49-38, but Humboldt scored 11 of the final 17 points of the period, and the Wildcats had to be content with a 55-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Huffhines opened the final period hot, draining a jumper and a 3-pointer, but the Lumberjacks were able to stay within a half-dozen. Treys by Laporte and Huffhines, and free throws by Martinez and Duckett fueled a clutch 10-0 run to successfully push the Wildcats' lead to 16 at 70-54 with five minutes left to play. Humboldt made one last run at the 'Cats, whittling the deficit down to 10, only to see Chico State close things out with an Ison jumper and free throws by Duckett and Laporte to put the finishing touches on the 75-63 victory.  
 
The Wildcats are back in action Saturday afternoon, as they travel to Rohnert Park to take on Sonoma State (4-6, 1-3 CCAA). Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.