HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team secured a commanding 64-37 victory against Stanislaus State on Saturday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium. This marks the Pioneers' fourth consecutive win and their fifth triumph in the last six games, climbing to fourth place in the CCAA conference standings.
 

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring the final six points of the opening quarter set up control for the Pioneers for the rest of the evening. The quarter finished with East Bay ahead 15-8. Although the lead in the second quarter was not in double digits, the Pioneers finished with a 29-22 halftime lead after a pair of free throws by Ariyah Smith with four seconds remaining in the half. 

The Pioneers broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Stanislaus State 17-6 to take a commanding 46-28 lead, which was capped off by a jumper from Joia Armstrong.. The lead stretched to as much as 30 points in the fourth quarter, as the Pioneers cruised to a 64-37 win. 
 

NOTABLE STATS

• Ariyah Smith led the Pioneers in scoring with 13 points, shooting 4-for-12 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line.
• Kelsey Valencia and Joia Armstrong each contributed 12 points. Valencia was particularly effective from beyond the arc, draining four 3-pointers.
• Valencia recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while also dishing out a team-high six assists.
• Taylor Eldredge dominated the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds and added four steals to her stat line.
• Armstrong was a force on defense, recording four blocks.
• The Pioneers outrebounded Stanislaus State 56-40.
• The Pioneers' defensive effort was particularly noteworthy, as the 37 points allowed marked their lowest since December 18, 2021, when they defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 57-37.

POSTGAME QUOTE

Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin praised her team's performance, stating:
"It was a great way to finish off our homestand with a great team performance. We took care of the ball, shared the ball and played solid defense for four quarters. I'm happy for our group and hopefully we can take this into next weekend and be ready to compete on the road."
 

RECORDS

Cal State East Bay: 7-7, 5-3 CCAA
Stanislaus State: 4-10, 3-5 CCAA
 

UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY

The Pioneers will face a tough challenge as they hit the road to take on No. 3 Cal State Dominguez Hills in a CCAA matchup. The game is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m. at The Torodome in Carson, California. This will be Cal State East Bay's first road game of 2025, as they look to continue their winning streak.