HAYWARD, Calif. — The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team pulled away in the second half to defeat Cal State San Marcos 67-56 in a CCAA matchup Thursday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium.
The Pioneers overcame a slow start, trailing 14-13 after the first quarter, before taking control with a pivotal second-quarter run. A 3-pointer by Taylor Eldredge sparked an 11-0 surge that helped East Bay establish a 28-25 halftime lead.
The third quarter proved decisive for the Pioneers, who outscored the Cougars 25-17 in the period. Ariyah Smith's 3-pointer ignited a 13-0 run that put East Bay firmly in command, extending their advantage to 53-42 heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, each team scored 14 points with 10 of East Bay's 14 from Smith. The Pioneers finished with a 67-56 win to start the 2025 segment of the season's schedule.
- Smith led all scorers with a season-high 23 points, shooting an efficient 8-for-14 from the floor, including four 3-pointers. The freshman guard also contributed five assists and five steals in a stellar all-around performance.
- Joia Armstrong chipped in 10 points in her Pioneer debut.
- Gwendilyn Aasland had a team-high 9 rebounds and a pair of blocks.
- Cal State East Bay shot 45.1 percent from the field compared to Cal State San Marcos' 32.8 percent.
- The Pioneers also held a slight edge in rebounding, 40-36.
Cal State East Bay head coach
Jenny Thigpin following Thursday's win:
"It was a great team win for us and we showed growth by finishing the game tonight. It's a great way to start the new year off and hopefully we can gain some momentum moving forward into our next game."
Cal State East Bay: 4-7, 2-3 CCAA
Cal State San Marcos: 0-10, 0-4 CCAA
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
Cal State East Bay will look to build on its victory when they host Sonoma State in another CCAA contest on Saturday, January 4, 2025. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward, California.
