Box Score
Box score

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Despite having three players reach double figures in scoring, the Cal State East Bay women's basketball team could not hold on in an eight-point, 52-44 loss to Academy of Art to open the season on Friday afternoon. The Pioneers (0-1) led at the half and shot 40 percent from the field in the second frame, but turned the ball over 28 times in the loss that kicked off the CCAA/PacWest Challenge at Dominican.

"It's always difficult to start out of the gate with a loss, especially when you are trying to build a program," Head Coach Suzy Barcomb said. "We hope to regroup, refocus and commit to playing defense and rebounding tomorrow."

Sophomore Sarah Finlay tied for the game high with 14 points, going 4-for-4 from the field, including a pair of three-point baskets. Junior Marlene MacMillan joined Finlay in double figures, scoring 10 points and leading the Pioneers on the boards with five rebounds. Freshman Micah Walker found success in her debut, shooting 40 percent and scoring 10 points, with two threes and a pair of steals. Sophomore Cassie Coble also added four points and four boards for East Bay.

As a team, the Pioneers just out-shot the Urban Knights, knocking down 16 of their 46 shots to shoot 34.8 percent from the floor. East Bay also hit a third of its shots from beyond the arc, but struggled at the free-throw line, where it shot just over 57 percent in only 14 chances. The Pioneers also gave up 28 turnovers and were out-rebounded by the Urban Knights, 40-32.

"Everyone has to board for us," Barcomb said. "We can't be one-and-done on the offensive end of the floor. The turnovers also need our immediate attention."

Alisa Griggs' 14 points paced Academy of Art, while Devin London joined Griggs in double figures with 12 points and added eight steals in the victory. Nicol Biesek led the Urban Knights' rebound efforts, posting 10 boards and contributing four points and a block.

The Pioneers opened scoring in the first half on a Finlay jumper before the Urban Knights went on an eight-point streak to take an 8-2 lead early on. Though East Bay closed the gap to just three with a 5-2 run thanks to baskets from MacMillan and Finlay, Academy of Art built a 10-point advantage with just over seven minutes left in the half and looked to be in the driver's seat. The Pioneers weren't done, though, finishing the half on a 14-2 run that included four AAU turnovers and six points from MaMillan. Walker and Finlay closed out the half with three straight three pointers to give East Bay a 22-20 advantage at the half. 

East Bay led by as many as four points early in the second frame and held a 28-24 lead with 17:21 to play. The Urban Knights pulled back to tie the game at 30 before a free throw from Finlay gave the Pioneers a narrow 31-30 advantage. AAU followed with a 9-2 run to take back the lead for the final time, building a 39-33 lead. Back-to-back buckets from Carly Bettencourt and Walker cut the lead back to two with seven minutes remaining. The Urban Knights took back control, though, regaining a 10-point lead and never allowing it to dip below nine until the final free throws from Lauren Lucchesi cut the final advantage back to eight. Five turnovers in the final seven minutes, as well as a three-minute scoring drought. 

Cal State East Bay will get another chance at its first win of the season tomorrow, when it takes on Dominican in its second game of the CCAA/PacWest Challenge. The Pioneers and Penguins, who dropped a 76-51 decision to Humboldt State on Friday, are set to get underway at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Conlan Center in San Rafael.