University of California, Riverside
Cal Poly
Highlanders Open Big West Play With 66-48 Win at Cal Poly
1/2/2009 5:16:03 PM | Women's Basketball
Three Players Score in Double Figures
(San Luis Obispo, CA) - The UC Riverside women's basketball team (5-8, 1-0) opened up Big West Conference play with a 66-48 win at Cal Poly on Friday evening at Mott Gymnasium in San Luis Obispo.
Three players scored in double figures for the Highlanders as UCR came out of the gate strong and never relinquished the lead for the entire game.
UCR held the Mustangs (7-5, 0-1) to 34.6 percent shooting from the field, while the Highlanders shot an even 50.0 percent from the floor, including 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Seyram Gbewonyo (Sylmar, CA) scored a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 from the field, while Jessie Schmuckal (Chula Vista, CA) and Tainoisouti Lott (Moreno Valley, CA) each recorded 14 points. All three players recorded season-highs in points, while Schmuckal's 14 is a new career-high.
The Highlanders had an 11 point lead at the half but opened up the second with an eight to zero run in which they extended their lead to 41-22 after two three-pointers and a Ronéy Friend (Los Angeles, CA) bucket at 18:30.
Poly would close the gap to 11 points at the 11:29 mark, but the Highlanders retook control of the game and opened up their biggest lead, 62-37, with 6:27 remaining.
In the first half, Jessie Schmuckal's 11 first-half points, including three three-pointers, got UCR on board first as the Highlanders opened up a quick 8-3 lead at the 16:35 mark. UCR's defense, which held Cal Poly to 30.8 percent shooting in the half, held the Mustangs scoreless for a five minute span as UCR extended their lead to 28-8 on an Alyssa Morris (Fresno, CA) jumper with 7:41 remaining. Cal Poly made a run towards the end of the first half but UCR held on to take an 11 point lead into the locker rooms.
The Highlanders will look to keep their two-game win streak alive as they continue Big West Conference play with a 2:00 pm tangle at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Jan. 4. Live game coverage is available online at www.gohighlanders.com.
