BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The CSUB women's basketball team won its fourth-consecutive home game Tuesday afternoon, defeating the UC Irvine Anteaters, 67?43, in the Icardo Center. Phynique Allen led the Roadrunner charge as she was one of three CSUB players to reach double figures, scoring 13 points. Junior Katie Williams chipped in 12 while Tiffany Belt added 10. The win moves the Roadrunners' record to 8?6 while UC Irvine drops to 3?10.
Williams recorded her first double-double of the season as she led the team with 10 rebounds. She also recorded four of the team's 13 steals as CSUB forced 20 Anteater turnovers. Allen led the team with six assists and also recorded four steals. Belt had all 10 points in the first half on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-2 from behind the arc.
After Irvine scored the first bucket, CSUB went on a 14-1 run to set an early tone to the game. Allen had six points during the stretch.
The Anteaters cut the Roadrunner lead down to two points midway through the half as Raquel Theus, who finished with a game-high 17 points, hit a layup. After that is was all CSUB as the 'Runners went on a quick 12-point run to lead by 14, 31-17, with just over six minutes left to play. Allen would make a layup with 41 seconds remaining to give CSUB its biggest lead of the half at 16, 39?23.
At the break, the Roadrunners lead was 14, 39-25. Belt led CSUB with 10 points while Irvine's Theus had 13.
The Roadrunners continued to expand their lead in the second half, extending the advantage to a game-high 28 points, 63-35, with 7:38 left to play in the game. Irvine would score eight of the next 12 points to close out the game but the decision had long been in hand for CSUB.
Defensivley, the Roadrunners put together one of their best performances, holding the Anteaters to just 29.1 percent shooting, a season-best for CSUB. CSUB turned the 20 UCI turnovers into 21 points. The 'Runners shot 45.8 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from behind the arc.
CSUB is now 78-0 when keeping opponents under 60 points defensively.
The 'Runners continue their four-game homestand Saturday against West Coast Conference member Loyola Marymount at 2 p.m. in the Icardo Center.
