As the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team separates for an abbreviated holiday break before conference play begins Dec. 28, the Roadrunners will be celebrating a hard-fought and much deserved win on a rainy Thursday winter evening. 

Greg McCall's squad battled at the Icardo Center for the second straight game and defended the Valley Strong Court with a 60-52 victory despite Whittier College's best efforts to spoil the day with a comeback.

The `Runners, generally a team that plays better from behind, shot out to a massive 27-9 first quarter lead on the back of Shaunae Brown dropping the three ball consistently. Thoroughly in control, Bakersfield had one of its best quarters of 2023-24, firing at a 55.6% clip both from the field and beyond the arc. 

Jordan Olivares played the distracting role, putting her two-way skills to use by drawing fouls and double teams while still finding ways to score. Despite a dip in field goal percentage, the `Runners were still able to hold the Poets at an arm's length with a 41-22 lead at halftime.

Whittier College rocketed out of the halftime break with a vengeance, quickly narrowing the deficit to single digits as the `Runners tried to find ways to slow 20+ point-per-game scorer Rhe Nae Leach, who would finish the game with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. CSUB managed to get the bench rolling as Julia Riley found double-digits again with 10 points and Amourie Porter score 9 points along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Porter's production included a highlight-reel solo basket that could stand as one of the women's basketball team's best plays by the end of 2023-24.

Despite the Poets pulling within just a few points through the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, Bakersfield's defense, led by Jordan Olivares and her 7 rebounds, stood tall to shut down a late comeback attempt and seal the pivotal victory. That game closed the conference slate, and now Head Coach Greg McCall looks towards not only the holiday break but the conference-opener against UC San Diego at home.