Box Score HAYWARD, Calif. – The Pioneer women's basketball team built up a 12-point halftime lead, and held on to defeat Cal State San Bernardino, 57-54, on Friday.
Cal State East Bay improves to 3-5 in CCAA play and 5-7 overall. Cal State San Bernardino stands at 4-5 in the CCAA and 6-7 for the season.
The Pioneers, who defeated the Coyotes for the second straight year in Pioneer Gym, shot 45.5 percent from the field and converted 15 of 20 free throws, including 13 of 18 in the second half. Cal State San Bernardino shot 33.8 percent from the field.
Marlene MacMillan posted her second straight double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Tori Breshers and
Brianna Terrance followed with 13 and 10 points respectively. Breshers and Terrance each pulled down six rebounds.
Sarah Finlay contributed to the Pioneer victory with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Alexcia Mack came off the bench to lead Cal State San Bernardino with 12 points. Eliza Dy and Trinidee Trice each scored 10 points for the Coyotes.
Terrance and Finley accounted for 11 points as the Pioneers built a 17-2 lead with 14:53 left in the first half. During the 17-2 stretch, the Pioneers converted 7 of 9 shots from the field. Cal State San Bernardino converted only 1 of 12 shots.
“We opened the game with great energy, shared the basketball, and knocked down our shots which allowed us to gain some confidence,” Pioneer head Coach
Suzy Barcomb said. “We had everyone contributing in the scoring and rebounding columns. It was team basketball.”
Finley hit a basket to give the Pioneers a 21-4 lead with 11:54 left. East Bay enjoyed its biggest lead of the first half, 28-7, with 7:46 left on a
Micah Walker layup.
The Coyotes went on a 9-0 run the following seven minutes to trim the Pioneers advantage to 28-16.
The two teams played on even terms the final four minutes as the Pioneers took a 32-20 halftime lead.
East Bay shot 53.8 percent compared to 23.5% for Cal State San Bernardino.
Cal State San Bernardino cut into East Bay's halftime lead with a 9-6 run in the first six minutes of the second half. A layup by Kristen Huffman capped a Coyotes' 12-2 run, to trim the Pioneers lead to 42-39 with 9:20 left. The Coyotes came within one point on Trice's basket three minutes later.
The Pioneers scored three unanswered points on MacMillan's free throw and Breshers follow in. With 2:51 left, MacMillan hit a basket as the Pioneers maintained a four-point advantage.
Nicole Chapple hit a basket with 2:24 left to cut the Pioneers' lead to 49-47. The Coyotes had a chance to go-ahead with 1:34 remaining, but Mack missed a three-pointer.
Breshers came up huge down the stretch, converting a three-point play and making four free-throws to give the Pioneers the hard-earned victory.
“We gutted out a win at home and that is exactly what we needed to do,” Barcomb said. “We showed composure when San Bernardino made their big run at us and we got key rebounds and the 50-50 balls. I liked how we really elevated our intensity when the game was on the line. Big free throws and rebounds by Tori and Mac down the stretch, along with a key basket by Micah enabled us to keep our lead. When you look at the overall stat lines of Bri, Tori and Mac, it shows why we were able to win the game.”
The Pioneers will host UC San Diego on January 19 at 5:30 p.m.
