Box Score CARSON, Calif. – The Pioneer women's basketball team was well on their way to ending a three-game losing streak against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday night. The Toros snatched away a Pioneer win with a 14-4 run with less than three minutes remaining to stun East Bay, 54-53.
“Too many missed free throws, missed defensive assignments and turnovers cost us the game,” Pioneer Head Coach
Suzy Barcomb said. “Dominguez Hills never quit and played with composure in the final 2 minutes and we did not.”
Brianna Terrance hit a jumper and
Micah Walker made three free throws to give the Pioneers a 35-25 advantage with 14:25 left in the second half.
Marlene MacMillan converted a layup with 2:43 remaining as the Pioneers maintained a 49-40 lead.
The Toros responded with a 5-0 run to trim the Pioneers' lead to 49-45 with 1:55 remaining. Following a basket by the Pioneers'
Nia Bravo, the Toros tied the game with a minute to play as Denisha Lundy hit a three-pointer and Kira Demorales followed with a three-point play .
East Bay regained the lead on a pair of Walker free throws with 45 seconds left. Demorales made one of two free throws to cut the Pioneers lead to 53-52 with 23 seconds remaining. The Toros got the ball back, and took a one-point lead with nine seconds left on a pair of Monay Lee free throws. The Pioneers had a chance to win the game, but
Rachel Finnegan missed a jumper at the buzzer.
Trailing 7-5, the Pioneers went on an 8-0 run to take a six-point advantage with 11:00 minutes left in the first half.
Tori Breshers converted a layup to give the Pioneers their biggest lead of the half, 18-11, with 7:44 remaining. Breshers scored her 8th point of the half on a layup as the Pioneers maintained a 23-18 lead with just over two minutes left.
The Toros converted a free throw in the final minute to trim the Pioneers' halftime lead to four points.
Cal State East Bay is 1-4 in CCAA play and 3-6 overall. Cal State Dominguez Hills improves to 2-4 in the CCAA and 3-7 for the season.
Walker led the Pioneers in scoring with a season-high 16 points. Breshers played a solid game for the Pioneers with 14 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. MacMillan led East Bay on the boards with seven rebounds.
Lundy poured in a team-high 16 points, including five 3-pointers for the Toros. Breanne Garcia followed with 12 points.
Cal State East Bay will return home on January 11 to face Humboldt State.
