Women's Basketball November 24, 2009 CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications

Runners Survive Scare From Anteaters

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Senior Phynique Allen (San Diego, Calif./Eastern Washington) scored a career high 27 points as the CSUB women's basketball team held off a late charge by the UC Irvine Anteaters to win, 77–75, Monday evening at the Icardo Center. The Anteaters pulled to within one point of the home squad three times in the game's final minutes but were never quite able to finish the job.

With the win, the Roadrunners are now an even 2–2 on the season while UC Irvine drops to 1–3.

Senior Katie Williams (Las Vegas, Nev./Reedley College) scored 13 points and tied junior Nikki Leon (Canyon Country HS) with a team–best six rebounds. This extends Williams' double–digit scoring streak to 21 consecutive games. Senior guard Kelley Tarver (Valencia HS) and sophomore forward Jana Smith (Tehachapi HS) each scored 10 points. Tarver had a team–high five assists.

UC Irvine jumped out to an early seven–point lead in the first half. Rebecca Maessen, Ka'Jahna Johnson and Jade Smith–Williams all nailed threes as CSUB tried to keep the margin close. However, the Anteaters would fail to connect from deep for the remainder of the half as the Roadrunners tied the game midway through the half and then captured the lead for good, building their own seven point lead with 6:59 remaining. Allen was carried the hot hand in the first half, scoring 18 of her 27 points in the first 20 minutes. CSUB led, 40–34 at the break.

The Roadrunners' largest advantage of the game came early in the second half on an Amber Williams three pointer, extending the CSUB lead to 10 points, 54–44. But Irvine, who created plenty of opportunities for itself using fast breaks and secondary breaks clawed their way back into it, pulling to within one with 10:43 remaining, 58–57.

Foul troubles cause the Roadrunners to go to their bench to stop UCI's inside presence. Tamiko Davis picked up her third foul with 16:59 to go, leaving Smith to try and stop Irvine's Kim Barnes. Barnes would take advantage, dropping in 20 points on the evening. But Barnes' free throw struggles kept Irvine from ever pulling ahead as she was just 4-for-9 from the charity stripe, many of those opportunities coming on the end of and-one situations.

After UCI pulled to within three, 71–68, with 2:26 remaining on a Kiara Belen jumper. Allen would answer for CSUB with a layup and after an athletic steal by Leon, Allen was fouled and hit two free throws, giving the Roadrunners a seven–point lead, 75–68, with just 21 seconds remaining. Smith–Williams answered with a layup and scored five seconds later as UCI stole the inbounds pass to pull within three, 75–72. But Katie Williams would ice the game for CSUB with a pair of free–throws. Lauren Spinazze hit a three at the buzzer as the game ended, 77–75.

CSUB and UCI will hook up once more this season, on Feb. 6, 2010, in Irvine, Calif., at 5 p.m.

CSUB will take a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday before heading to the Cal Poly Holiday Beach Classic in San Luis Obispo, Calif., beginning on Friday, Nov. 28. The Roadrunners will face their first SEC opponent in Alabama on Saturday before taking on host Cal Poly on Sunday. Both games are scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. start.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Phynique Allen: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#33 Tamiko Davis: F; 6' 1"; Junior

#32 Nikki Leon: F; 5' 11"; Junior

#5 Jana Smith: F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#13 Kelley Tarver: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#3 Amber Williams: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#22 Katie Williams: G; 5' 9"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#24 Phynique Allen
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#33 Tamiko Davis
: 6' 1"; Junior
: F

#32 Nikki Leon
: 5' 11"; Junior
: F

#5 Jana Smith
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: F

#13 Kelley Tarver
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#3 Amber Williams
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#22 Katie Williams
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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Runners Survive Scare From Anteaters

Players Mentioned

#24 Phynique Allen

#33 Tamiko Davis

#32 Nikki Leon

#5 Jana Smith

#13 Kelley Tarver

#3 Amber Williams

#22 Katie Williams

Players Mentioned

#24 Phynique Allen

#33 Tamiko Davis

#32 Nikki Leon

#5 Jana Smith

#13 Kelley Tarver

#3 Amber Williams

#22 Katie Williams