Broadcasting update: Chico State basketball can be heard on the radio on KPAY's sister station News-Talk 93.9 FM or kpay.com. The game, as always, can be seen on the CCAA Network.
 
CHICO – Brandy Huffhines scored a career-high 24 points, Zhane Duckett added 19 as the Chico State women's basketball team opened CCAA play with an 82-73 win over Cal State San Bernardino in Acker Gym Thursday evening.
 
After watching her fellow first-team all-conference selection Duckett break her career-high against Academy of Art five days ago, Huffhines must have felt she needed to do the same thing. The senior guard went on to break her previous best of 23 points scored at Cal Poly Humboldt last season.
 
Jordan Allred had a dozen points, with eight of them coming from the free throw line, Makenzi Laporte also contributed to 10 points.
 
It was a good day from the field for Chico State (4-2), which hit 49 percent of its shots but could only make four from 3-point range. Rebounding was also an impressive performance as the 'Cats beat the Yotes on the glass, 37-24. Ashleigh Barr had eight boards, Duckett had seven.
 
The 'Cats seems to be unable to stop one of the conference's leading scorer Destiny Jackson, who walked into Acker Gym averaging 16.5 points tonight. She left the gym with 26 points. Auren Isaacson, who transferred to CSUSB from the reigning West Region Champions Cal State Dominguez Hills, scored 15 points.
 
After taking the opening quarter 20-16, the Wildcats were riding on the confident Huffhines. However, the Yotes had Isaacson carry them as she scored nine points in the period to take a 37-35 lead into halftime.
 
San Bernardino eventually got on a run that allowed it to take a seven-point lead (46-39) three minutes into the second half, its largest gap in the game.
 
Chico State went on a 13-6 run the remainder of the period to take a 55-52 lead. Allred had five points during that momentum.
 
The Wildcats defended the fourth quarter having led by as many as five points. Duckett scored six points in the final 1:30 to be a key factor in holding the lead.
 
Chico State welcomes Cal Poly Pomona to Acker Gym Saturday at 1 p.m. The Broncos are coming off a 61-58 loss to Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata.
 
Broadcasting update: Chico State basketball can be heard on the radio on KPAY's sister station News-Talk 93.9 FM or kpay.com. The game, as always, can be seen on the CCAA Network.