LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team played arguably the best 10 minutes of basketball in its young history and rode a fast start to a 69-58 win over CCAA co-leader UC San Diego Friday night at RIMAC Arena in La Jolla.
Bakersfield (18-6, 15-2 CCAA) won for the 10th consecutive game and took a one-game lead in the conference race from UCSD (18-4, 14-3), which saw an eight-game winning streak snapped. Both teams have five games remaining in the conference season.
The Roadrunners were simply dominant for the first 10:49 of the game, racing to an almost unbelievable 23-0 lead over the nation's No. 14 ranked team. UCSD never got closer than the 11-point final margin.
Freshman forward Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS) was a force once again, posting her eighth double-double of the season with team-highs of 17 points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Sophomore guard Kelley Tarver (Valencia HS) continued her hot run of play with 15 points.
Hillary Hansen led all scorers with 20 points for the Tritons. Leora Juster, the nation's fourth-leading scorer at more than 23 points per game, finished with 17.
After jumping to the early lead, the 'Runners cooled off as UCSD used a gradual 14-6 run to get within 13 at 27-14. Bakersfield expanded the lead back to 17 by halftime, however, and led by as many as 22 at 64-42 with 4:42 left in the game.
The Roadrunners continue their four-game road trip Saturday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Cal State Bakersfield 69, UC San Diego 58
CS BAKERSFIELD (18–6, 15–2 CCAA): Rhondi Naff 0-1 2-2 2; Florida Siaosi 5-9 7-8 17; Jessi Loring 6-10 0-0 12; Kelley Tarver 7-16 0-0 15; Krista Arase 2-6 3-4 8; Tiffany Belt 1-1 0-0 3; Katherine Smith 0-2 0-0 0; Christine Kepenekian 0-2 0-0 0; Naomi Johnson 0-0 0-0 0; Kelly Blair 0-0 0-1 0; Rhonda Johnson 6-9 0-0 12. TOTALS: 27-56 12-15 69.
UC SAN DIEGO (18–4, 14–3 CCAA): Michelle Osier 5-9 0-0 11; Hillary Hansen 6-13 8-9 20; Jillian Ricks 0-0 2-3 2; Leora Juster 8-19 1-2 17; Kacie Kostlan 0-3 2-2 2; Meaghan Noud 0-7 0-0 0; Erin Noonan 0-0 0-0 0; Alexis Mezzetta 0-1 0-0 0; Alexis Gaskin 3-8 0-0 6. TOTALS: 22-60 13-16 58.
HALFTIME: CSUB 33-17. 3-PT. FG: CSUB 3-9 (Belt 1-1, Tarver 1-3, Arase 1-3); UCSD 1-6 (Osier 1-1, Hansen 0-1, Kostlan 0-2, Noud 0-2). REBOUNDS: CSUB 39 (Siaosi 12); UCSD 32 (Gaskin 8). ASSISTS: CSUB 15 (Arase 7); UCSD 17 (Kostlan 8). TURNOVERS: CSUB 24, UCSD 22. BLOCKS: CSUB 7 (R. Johnson 3); UCSD 3 (Noud 2). STEALS: CSUB 7 (Tarver 3); UCSD 10 (Osier, Juster 4). TECHNICALS: UCSD (Coach-Eilert). FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Lozano, Mason, Dubas. ATTN: 293.
