Box Score Seattle, WA—The UC Riverside Women's Basketball team was unable to overcome a cold shooting first half, and the Washington Huskies took full advantage of it in defeating the Highlanders, 78-43.

Both teams started out the game struggling to find their shooting stroke. With the score tied at eight in the first quarter, the Huskies got back-to-back threes from Kelsey Plum and Talia Walton in the midst of an 8-0 run that gave them a 16-8 lead to end the first period.

The Highlanders had a scoring drought that lasted five minutes, from the end of the first into the second period—the Huskies would outscore them 16-0 over that span.

At the break Washington (8-2) led 42 -19. The 23-point margin was the biggest halftime deficit the Highlanders had faced all season. 

UCR (5-6) shot 8-for-35, 22% from the field, in their lowest offensive output in a half this season.

Coming into the game, the Highlanders were 12th in the nation in three point field goal percentage at 40.0, however they missed all five of their first half attempts.

Plum led the way with 17 first half points for the Huskies, Walton had 7 points, 11 rebounds, while Brittany Crain's 8 points topped all Highlanders.

Midway through the third the Huskies led by 30, 55-25. UCR then managed a 6-0 mini run, but Plum responded with two buckets and Washington got a three from Kelly Kingma to push the lead 31. The third would finish with the Huskies having doubled up the Highlanders, 62 -31.
 
In the final period, senior Akilah Martin connected on a three-pointer with 2:31 to play, for the Highlanders only make from long distance in 16 attempts on the night.

Washington maintained their 30 plus point lead throughout the fourth, as UCR got no closer than 32, and the Huskies went on to claim their eighth win of the year, 78-43.

Plum led all scorers with 27 points, and Walton had a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Crain finished 14 points to lead the Highlanders, who got 10 from Rejane Verin. Annelise Ito returned from injury to tally nine points and nine rebounds.

UCR will remain in Seattle to take on the Redhawks of Seattle University on Monday, December 21, at 6 pm.