RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Roadrunners were unable to overcome an early double–digit deficit on Saturday night as they dropped a 82–71 decision to UC Riverside in NCAA women's basketball action.

CSUB's first five points of the game came by way of the charity stripe as UC Riverside scored eight quick points to jump out to an immediate lead. It took the Roadrunners till the 14–minute mark to score from the field as sophomore guard Amber Williams (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda HS) completed CSUB's first lay–up.

The Highlanders continued to lead, however, as two different players managed to put up double–digits through the first half. Between seven–point performances from Williams and senior guard Breana Fields (Sacramento, Calif./San Jose State), the 'Runners were able to cut UCR's lead down to three points midway through.

The Highlanders hit three–consecutive three–pointers en rout to a 14–4 run over the final six minutes to gain a 13 point lead over the 'Runners.  Williams sunk a free throw in the final minute in order to cut the lead down to 12 as UCR took a 37–25 lead into halftime.

CSUB went just 7 of 29 from the field in the first half while UC Riverside shot 45 percent (15-33), including six from three–point range.
 
The Roadrunners' shooting performance was much better in the second half as senior guard Britney McGee (Bakersfield, Calif./Univ. of Albany) finished a lay–up and sank a free–throw in the opening minutes to give CSUB some momentum. UC Riverside got into foul trouble early in the final half, sending CSUB to the line with every foul for the last fifteen minutes to play.

The 'Runners were able to cut the Highlanders' double–digit lead down to nine thanks to a 9–2 run with a little over eight minutes remaining. CSUB's rally was silenced, however, as UC Riverside's Treshont Nottingham scored 26 points, leading the Highlanders to a 82–71 win.

After a scoreless first half, McGee exploded for 18 points in the final half to lead the Roadrunners in scoring. Williams (13 points), Fields (12) and Kristine Herman (San Ramon, Calif./Florida Gulf Coast) (11 points) all finished the game in double–digits while UC Riverside matched those efforts to have a total of four players in double–digits.

Senior forward Nikki Leon (Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon HS) led the 'Runners in rebounding, pulling down a game–high 13.

The Roadrunners continue their four–game road swing as they head back down to Southern California for a midweek match–up against Cal State Fullerton Wednesday, Jan. 26. Tip–off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Newspaper Box Score

CSU Bakersfield vs UC Riverside
1-22-11 5:00 pm at Student Rec Center (Riverside, CA)
At Student Rec Center (Riverside, CA)

UC RIVERSIDE 82, CSU BAKERSFIELD 71

CSU BAKERSFIELD (13-10)
McGee, Britney 5-14 5-5 18; Williams, Amber 4-16 3-8 13; Fields, Breana 5-8
1-2 12; Herman, Kristine 3-9 4-5 11; Leon, Nikki 3-4 2-5 8; Outland, Tyonna
2-12 3-4 7; Johnson, Cebrina 0-2 2-2 2; Smith, Jana 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-65
20-31 71.

UC RIVERSIDE (10-8)
Nottingham, TreShont 10-14 2-3 26; Morris, Alyssa 7-11 3-5 18; Neabors,
Rhaya 6-14 0-0 14; Waddell, Brittany 5-11 0-0 13; Lewis, Jazzmin 1-7 4-4 6;
Anderson, Nicole 0-1 3-5 3; Armstrong, Ebony 1-3 0-2 2; Washington, Leah 0-3
0-0 0; Hadley, Natasha 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 12-19 82.

CSU Bakersfield...............   25   46  -   71
UC Riverside..................   37   45  -   82

3-point goals--CSU Bakersfield 7-15 (McGee, Britney 3-6; Williams, Amber
2-5; Herman, Kristine 1-3; Fields, Breana 1-1), UC Riverside 10-21
(Nottingham, TreShont 4-5; Waddell, Brittany 3-7; Neabors, Rhaya 2-5;
Morris, Alyssa 1-2; Lewis, Jazzmin 0-2). Fouled out--CSU Bakersfield-None,
UC Riverside-None. Rebounds--CSU Bakersfield 38 (Leon, Nikki 13), UC
Riverside 50 (Morris, Alyssa 13). Assists--CSU Bakersfield 8 (Outland,
Tyonna 5), UC Riverside 22 (Anderson, Nicole 5). Total fouls--CSU
Bakersfield 19, UC Riverside 23. Technical fouls--CSU Bakersfield-None, UC
Riverside-None. A-416