David Dennis / All-Star Sports Photography

Box Score

UC San Diego UCSD 11-11,8-4 Big West

CSU Bakersfield CSUB 6-14,3-9 Big West

UC San Diego UCSD

11-11,8-4 Big West

Final

Feb. 04, 2023

CSU Bakersfield CSUB

6-14,3-9 Big West

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
UC San Diego UCSD	11	9	15	21	56
CSU Bakersfield CSUB	9	7	7	19	42

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | February 04, 2023

CSUB Are Unable to Score On-Pace With UCSD

Next Game:

at CSUN

2/9/2023 | 7:00 P.M.

ESPN+

Next Game

Full Schedule

Feb. 09 (Thu) / 7:00 P.M.

at CSUN

History

Recap
Roster

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – After a much-deserved win against UC Riverside in one of the finest defensive performances during the McCall era, the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team hosted UC San Diego, currently fourth in the Big West standings. The Roadrunners not only had something to prove, making up for their loss to the Tritons earlier in the season, but they were also looking to string together the first set of wins since December. Despite playing tough defense and giving a valiant effort, maybe even better than the first time these teams played, the `Runners were unable to completely stop the Tritons, who went on to take the 56-42 road victory.

Notables

The conference's fourth best scorer, UCSD's Sydney Brown, was always going to be a tough guarding assignment. However, the `Runners locked her down and restricted her to very minimal production through the game. Brown ended up fouling out in the fourth quarter with just seven points on the afternoon.
Affectionately known as "Scrap," walk-on true freshman Nseije Ortiz was all over the court while still running the point when needed. While her production slowed a bit as the game went along, she still posted three points, led the team with two assists and four steal, and continued to prove her worth as a potential diamond in the rough for a `Runners team in need of a scrappy, physical player.
In a defensive-minded battle that saw plenty of missed shots on both sides of the court, the rebounding game needed to be a key to success. Altogether, there were 70 total rebounds combined between the two sides, with UCSD having the lead (36 boards) and taking the win.
Grace Hunter was the only `Runner to score double digits (10 points), and the offense was a bit lacking for most of the game, so the defense had to step up and do its job. Despite the large loss, CSUB still played UCSD hard, notching 11 steals while forcing 18 Triton turnovers and holding them to 35% shooting from the field.
Hennie van Schaik and Sophia Tougas just trailed Hunter with nine points a-piece. However, the `Runners will surely look back on the overall shooting effort expecting more. By the end, CSUB shot 25.5% from the field and just 10.5% from the perimeter.

Quotes from Head Coach Greg McCall

"Hats off to UC San Diego, they did what they needed to win. It was our lack of production and consistency. When you hold a team to 56, you expect to win, but we weren't hitting our shots. Defensively, we were locked in and did everything we needed to do, but when you miss easy shots that's what hurts you."
"We expect people like Sophia [Tougas] to hit open three-pointers. Our normal shooters, Hunter, Ortiz, and Freeman were having shooting troubles. I think we're doing a good job everywhere else, but we struggled offensively tonight."
"We have to do a better job of making sure our players understand where to go and what to look for. Even when we did execute the play, we missed shots. We need to keep working, shooting, and lock in on extra shooting during practice, as well as where they get their shots from."

Next on the Schedule

at CSUN, Thursday, Feb. 9, 7:00 p.m. (PT)
Full schedule available at GoRunners.com/WBB
CSUB Season Tickets and Single-Game Tickets available at GoRunners.com/Tickets

First Half

The first quarter began slowly, with just eight total points by the first media timeout. As usual, the restrictive `Runner defense was on full display, holding one of the conference's top scorers at UCSD to zero points through the first.
Both teams played a patient game with each other, with just one point scored off turnovers. There was plenty of cycling and careful shooting, but even so, CSUB was unable to make a three during the first period on seven tries.
By the end of the first period, UCSD was funneling its game through only three players, with no one else scoring. CSUB employed a more balanced offense, with all but five players getting on the board. Through the half CSUB held UCSD, one of the conference's best offenses, to just 26.1% from the field and 20% on the perimeter.
Communication issues in second quarter cause CSUB to go on a few scoreless runs, but the defense stood strong and kept the game close. Three different `Runners had two steals apiece, while there were seven total for the team.
With such a low-scoring game, and UCSD leading 20-16 at the half, there were an abundance of rebounds for both sides. By halftime, there were 38 combined rebounds, good enough for fifth best on the year already for CSUB's game-by-game totals.

Second Half

UCSD began the quarter taking its largest lead of the game thus far, 25-18, but CSUB battled back hard like it always does. Still holding the Tritons to less than 30% on all shooting, the `Runners were able to come within one or two possessions multiple times.
Foul trouble, like the first and second quarters, also became an issue for the third quarter sending the Tritons to the line the most times in the game up to that point. However, thanks to the "Rowdy" crowd, UCSD went 1-for-5 from the charity stripe.
Hennie van Schaik, for what she was lacking in offense today, contributed greatly to the efforts off the glass, with six boards through three quarters.
By the fourth quarter, UCSD had extended the lead to its largest of the game while limiting CSUB's scoring. The Tritons were up 35-23 heading into the final period.
After CSUB put UCSD into the bonus for the second and third quarters, the Tritons returned the favor for the `Runners in the final quarter giving them the opportunity to come back into the game.
UCSD's offense proved to be too difficult to stop completely, as the Tritons answered every CSUB basket with one of their own. It certainly did not help that the `Runners put UCSD into the bonus each of the last three quarters and allowed 23 free-throw opportunities.