BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? The CSUB women's basketball needed all 40 minutes to decide a thriller with Big West Conference co?leader Cal Poly, coming back late to earn a 64?59 decision Tuesday night at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield.
Bakersfield (8?10 overall) led for most of the first 36 minutes before Cal Poly erased a 10?point deficit to forge a pair of late three?point leads. But after a Megan Harrison Harrison layup gave Cal Poly (7?10) a 59?56 lead with 2:04 remaining, the Roadrunner defense pitched a shutout and the CSUB offense scored eight unanswered points to seal the win.
Junior guard Kelley Tarver (Valencia HS), who led all scorers with 19 points, started the late comeback by nailing a three?pointer from the left wing to tie the game at 59?59. Junior forward Nikhol West (Bakersfield HS) then made arguably the biggest play of the game, grabbing an offensive rebound on CSUB's next possession then making a free throw to give the 'Runners the lead for good.
Tarver and senior forward Naomi Johnson (Oxnard College) combined to make four free throws in the final 37 seconds to account for the final margin.
Although the game was close most of the way, it didn't look like CSUB would need any last?second heroics. A Tarver jumper gave the 'Runners an eight?point lead at 37?29 with less than five minutes into the second half. But Cal Poly needed just five minutes to pull within one at 41?40.
Two minutes later, Christine Kepenekian (Burbank HS) found Tiffany Belt (West HS) alone for a three?pointer that gave CSUB the biggest lead of the game, 52?42, at the eight?minute mark.
With the 'Runners seemingly in control again, Cal Poly stormed back one more time. Sparkle Anderson scored seven points in a 15?2 run that gave the Mustangs a 57?54 lead and set up the frenetic final minutes.
In addition to Tarver, Johnson chipped in her seventh double?double of the season with 13 points and a game?high 14 rebounds. Belt came off the bench to score 15 points while Kepenekian added 10.
Harrison led three Mustangs in double figures with 14 points. Rebecca Tratter added 10 points and a team?high nine rebounds.
CSUB takes a week off before continuing a four?game homestand Jan. 24 against fellow NCAA Division I independent member Utah Valley University. Cal Poly returns home for a first?place showdown with Big West co?leader UC Santa Barbara Saturday night.
CSU Bakersfield 64, Cal Poly 59
CAL POLY (7-10 overall) -- Harrison 5-8 4-7 14; McBride 4-12 0-0 10; Tratter 5-7 0-0 10; Stewart 3-3 0-0 8; Anderson 1-12 4-4 7; Howell 2-7 0-0 4; Asplund 1-2 0-0 3; Santiago 1-1 1-2 3; Newman 0-0 0-0 0; Yarwasky 0-0 0-0 0; Wells 0-6 0-0 0. Totals 22-58 9-13 59.
CSU BAKERSFIELD (8-10 overall) -- Tarver 4-13 9-11 19; Belt 4-14 3-4 15; Johnson 5-8 3-4 13; Kepenekian 2-11 6-8 10; Arase 3-9 0-1 6; West 0-0 1-2 1; Carter 0-0 0-0 0; Leon 0-1 0-0 0; Stribling 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-56 22-30 64.
Halftime: CSUB 29-24. 3-point goals--CP 6-14 (McBride 2-6; Stewart 2-2; Anderson 1-4; Asplund 1-1; Harrison 0-1), CSUB 6-22 (Belt 4-7; Tarver 2-6; Kepenekian 0-4; Arase 0-5). Fouled out--CP-Anderson, CSUB-None. Rebounds--CP 40 (Tratter 9), CSUB 41 (Johnson 14). Assists--CP 10 (Wells 3), CSUB 7 (Kepenekian 3). Total fouls--CP 26, CSUB 17. Technical fouls--CP-None, CSUB-None. A-523.
