BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Batabe Zempare recorded her 28th career double-double to lead CSU Bakersfield past Utah Valley 61-54 in Western Athletic Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon. The 6-2 forward scored a game high 16 points and grabbed a game high 12 rebounds.

With the scored tied at 19 midway through the second quarter, back-to-back baskets from Alyssa Shannon keyed a 10-0 run that provided the Roadrunners with their largest lead of the first half. Deijah Blanks scored the final five points of the opening 20 minutes to make it 29-24 as the team headed into halftime.

CSUB led 37-30 with 6:20 to play in the third but the 'Runners went cold, missing their final seven shots of the frame as UVU (10-12, 3-4 WAC) outscored the 'Runners 9-1 for a one-point lead after 150 minutes. The Wolverines led 45-44 with 6:22 to play when Erika Williams scored eight of her 12 points over the next four minutes that helped CSUB record a 15-2 charge which put the Roadrunners up by 12, securing the Roadrunner victory.

“Erika has been in a shooting slump for a while,” said CSUB Greg McCall. “We just kept believing in her and tried a few different things to get her out of it. The best way to feed her confidence is to continue to build it up. We need her down the stretch. It was good to get back into the scoring column.”

CSU Bakersfield made 10 of its 14 fourth quarter field goal attempts. CSUB made 10 steals, turning a total of 19 Wolverine turnovers in 20 points. UVU outrebounded the 'Runners 32-27. Banks led the Wolverines with 11 points. Rebecca MaWhinney scored 10 points and hauled in eight rebounds for Utah Valley. Zempare surpassed the 900-career point plateau during the game and now has 915 in a CSUB uniform. Shannon scored nine points, dished out six assists, and made four steals.

“Overall we played good defense once again,” McCall said. “We hit those patches in which we struggled to score, but our defense was able to create some easy baskets. We were able to execute on the offensive end at the end of the game.

The Roadrunners (6-16, 3-4 WAC) travel to Missouri-Kansas City (7-13, 2-5 WAC) Thursday at 7 p.m. (CST). The game can also be seen on the Roadrunner Digital Network. CSUB returns home Feb. 18 when the 'Runners host NM State at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com for the WAC Digital Game of the Week.

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