Women's Basketball December 09, 2008 CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications

Huskers Survive Second?Straight Roadrunner Scare

LINCOLN, Neb. - For the second?straight season, the CSUB women's basketball team gave Big-12 member Nebraska all it could handle, this time on the Husker's home floor the Devaney Center in front of 2,101 spectators. A second-half Roadrunner rally, however, would come up short as CSUB fell to Nebraska, 70?57, Tuesday evening. The loss dropped the Roadrunner's record to 4?4 while Nebraska improves to 7?2. CSUB battled tough and had put itself in a position to win, pulling to within two late in the second half.

After losing by just four points last season in the Icardo Center, 66?62, the ?Runners were looking forward to the 2008 rematch. CSUB's defense held the Huskers to 37.9 percent shooting from the floor and did not allow a fast break point. The ?Runners were led by senior Christine Kepenekian who had a game-high 19 points and grabbed 10 boards for her third double-double of the season. Sophomore Nicole Leon and senior Kelley Tarver each had 11 points while senior Krista Arase recorded a game-best five assists.

CSUB turned 12 Nebraska turnovers into 11 points but committed 19 of its own, leading to 19 Nebraska points. The much taller Nebraska team ended the contest with a 41-40 rebound advantage.

Christine Kepenekian hit CSUB's first bucket as she found a wide open lane and made the easy layup. On the ensuing possession, Kepenekian forced tied up on the defensive end, giving the ball back to the Roadrunners. After an empty trip down, Krista Arase came away with a steal and hit a quick jumper on the other end, giving CSUB a 4?2 lead.

After scoring 23 points in her first collegiate start, Nicole Leon got the starting nod again and hit her first shot attempt, a three pointer off a nice pass from Kepenekian, extending the Roadrunner lead to 9?4 before the first media timeout of the contest.

With just over eight minutes to play, Nebraska would retake the lead, 14-13, as Tay Hester missed a free throw but Nebraska was able to collect the offensive rebound and found Hester in the lane for two. Three days after CSUB recorded a season-low nine turnovers against Santa Clara, the ?Runners were whistled for 10 in just under 13 minutes including several uncharacteristic traveling calls by the perimeter players.

Fouls would play a role in the Roadrunner backcourt rotation as Leon and Kepenekian were each whistled for two with just over 12 minutes left to play in the first half.

Playing with two fouls with under two minutes to play, Kepenekian stepped up big and hit a three-pointer with the shot clock running down from well past the men's extended three-point arc, bringing the score to 23?20 in favor of Nebraska. After a Roadrunner defensive stop, Kepenekian knocked down another three from the corner in front of the Nebraska bench to tie the game at 23?23.

The Huskers would score six unanswered to end the half however, to lead 29?23. Against a much larger team in Nebraska, who has four players that stand over 6-foot-2, CSUB outrebounded the Huskers, 18?16 and allowed only three second chance points. Kepenekian extended her double-digit scoring streak to eight games in just 20 minutes as she led the team at the break with 10. Nebraska's Tay Hester led all scorers at the break with 14 points.

Early in the second half, the ?Runners battled back to within two points at 33?31 as they limited the Husker's chances offensively. Katie Williams and Leon each scored four points to keep the Roadrunners close. Kelley Tarver, who missed last game against Santa Clara, scored to tie the game at 33?33 with 15:22 left to play.

Nebraska would score the next eight points before Kepenekian converted a layup and drew a foul to pull the ?Runners back within five. Katie Williams drew a foul and converted the two free throws as CSUB got within four at 47-43 at the under eight media timeout.

Kepenekian pulled CSUB within two with just over five to play as she nailed a three pointer. Nebraska would answer the next time down but Tarver made a hard drive into the lane and was rewarded with a layup, making the score 54?52. After empty trips by both teams, the Huskers' Dominique Kelley hit a wide open three as Nebraska led, 57?52, at the under four media timeout.

Nebraska would score 13 of the next 18 points to pull away for the 13-point victory.

Tay Hester had 17 points for Nebraska while Dominique Kelley had 16. Catheryn Redmon had 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

CSUB will play its second-consecutive Big-12 school on Friday at the San Jose Battle by the Bay Classic on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Event Center.

CSU BAKERSFIELD (4?4)
Kepenekian 7-16 1-1 19; Leon 4-7 2-2 11; Tarver 4-17 3-5 11; Williams 2-5 3-4 8; Saso 2-4 0-0 4; Arase 1-8 0-0 2; Smith 1-1 0-0 2; West 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-58 9-12 57.

NEBRASKA (7?2)
Hester 7-12 2-4 17; Kelley 3-9 9-10 16; Redmon 3-4 7-10 13; Turner 3-9 1-2 9; Neals 2-5 2-2 7; Sidhu 1-3 0-0 2; Montgomery 1-8 0-0 2; Kuhlmann 1-6 0-0 2; Bober 1-2 0-0 2; Burke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-58 21-28 70.

CSU Bakersfield......... 23 34 - 57
Nebraska...................... 29 41 - 70

3P FG --Cal State Bakersfield 6-17 (Kepenekian 4-6; Leon 1-1; Williams 1-2; Arase 0-4; Tarver 0-4), Nebraska 5-17 (Turner 2-6; Hester 1-3; Kelley 1-3; Neals 1-2; Kuhlmann 0-2; Sidhu 0-1). A-2101

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