Matadors Earn 71-61 Win Over Women's Basketball

Thursday, January 30

Riverside, CA

7:00 pm

University of California, Riverside

4-16, 0-7

Cal State Northridge

9-12, 5-2

Team	1	2	F
Cal State Northridge	37	34	71
UC Riverside	29	32	61

Photo by: Carlos Puma

Matadors Earn 71-61 Win Over Women's Basketball

1/30/2014 7:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Riverside—The UC Riverside Women's Basketball Team dropped a 71-61 decision to Cal State Northridge on Thursday evening, shooting just 29.9 percent from the floor while allowing the Matadors to hit 40.3 percent of their shots. The Highlanders fall to 4-16 overall and 0-7 in conference play while CSUN improves to 9-12, 5-2 (box score).

Cinnamon Lister scored a game-high 23 points for the Matadors while Bernadette Fong added 14 points and 11 rebounds, Ashlee Guay had 13 points, and Janae Sharpe chipped in with 10.

Kiara Harewood tied her career-high scoring 14 points while adding 10 boards to lead the Highlanders. Annelise Ito also scored 14 points while Simone DeCoud added 10.

After opening a 6-2 lead after 2:16 gone by in the first period, the Highlanders fell behind allowing the Matadors to score six straight to take an 8-6 lead at the 15:02 mark. A three-pointer by DeCoud put UCR back on top, and both squads traded buckets over the next seven minutes as there were eight tie scores with neither team leading by more than three.

CSUN connected on a three-pointer at 7:44, giving the Matadors a lead they would not relinquish the remainder of the game. Cal State Northridge's lead reached two possessions, 27-21, before UC Riverside used a 5-1 run to make it 28-26 with 3:16 left in the period.

The Matadors quickly countered with five straight points to push the lead to seven, as they entered the break up eight, 37-29. Lister had 13 points to lead all players in the half, while Ito scored 10 to lead the Highlanders.

The Matadors' advantage reached 11 early in the second period, and grew to 15, 53-38, following an 8-0 run midway through the half. UC Riverside countered, scoring six straight—including four from Natasha Hadley—as the margin was cut back to three possessions, 53-44, with 9:19 left in the game.

The teams again traded buckets until Cal State Northridge's lead reached 14, 66-52, with only 2:11 on the clock. UCR made one final push, however, scoring seven consecutive bringing the score to 66-59 with 46 seconds remaining.

That was as close as the Highlanders would get, as CSUN hit five free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

UC Riverside has the weekend off but returns to Big West action next Thursday, February 6 for a 7 pm PT tip at Cal State Northridge.