UC Riverside
Yale
Highlanders Stay Perfect at Home, Defeat Yale 72-65
12/30/2008 4:52:22 PM | Women's Basketball
(Riverside, CA) - The UC Riverside women's basketball team (4-8) scored a season-high 72 points en route to their 72-65 victory over visiting Ivy League contender Yale on Tuesday evening at the Student Recreation Center in Riverside. The Highlanders had two players score in double figures as the team used stifling defense in the second half to shut down the Bulldogs (5-6).
UCR had a one point lead with 1:08 remaining in the game when a three-pointer by Jessie Schmuckal (Chula Vista, CA) found the basket to give the Highlanders a momentum-changing 66-62 lead. Yale could not convert any of their field goal attempts as they were forced to foul, sending the Highlanders to the line in the last minute where they nailed 5-of-6 free throws to seal the game.
Ronéy Friend led the Highlanders with a season-high 17 points while Seyram Gbewonyo (Sylmar, CA) added 15. Kemie Nkele (San Diego, CA) was just shy of her fourth double-double of the year as she chipped in 9 points and 10 rebounds.
UCR held the Bulldogs to 24.1 percent shooting in the second half as the Highlanders shot 52.4 percent in the second, and 46.2 percent for the game. UCR also had 12 total blocks, which places them at a tie for fourth all-time on the single-game highs list.
The Highlanders will look to keep their momentum going as they start Big West Conference play later this week. UCR travels to Cal Poly for a 7:00 matchup on Friday, Jan 2 and a 2:00 pm tangle with UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Jan. 4.
