Los Angeles––Senior point guard Simone DeCoud buried a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds to play to lift the Highlanders to a, 75-72, victory over LMU. The early afternoon victory gives UC Riverside a four-game winning-streak.
In their last game, the Highlanders withstood at hot shooting from CSU Bakersfield, Saturday against LMU, they shot a scorching hot 71.4 percent in the first quarter.
UCR begin the game with an 11-0 run, before Jackie Johnson got the Lions on the board at the 6:03 mark.
The Highlanders shot 10-14, in the opening quarter and were in ful control of the game. Nine of their 10 buckets were assisted. Verin was perfect in the first frame, eight points 3-3 fg, 2-2 ft. Lauren Holt and Clémence Lefevbre had five each in establishing a 24-9 lead.
UCR held LMU to 4-11 from the field, and forced them into eight turnovers.
The Lions closed the gap in the second period, outscoring the Highlanders 22-14, to make it a seven point game at the intermission, 38-31.
Holt led all scorers with 11 points, Vérin had eight, and DeCoud also had eight to go her five rebounds.
UCR continued to shoot well at 68.4 for the half, but committed six miscues in the frame, thanks to the LMU full court press.
Jackie Johnson poured in nine to pace the home side.
LMU relied on the long ball to get back in the game, connecting on 3-4 attempts to outscore UCR for the second period in a row, 19-17.
In the fourth period with 7:18 to play, the game was tied at 59, the first tie since 0-0. Holt broke the tie with one of her three connections from long distance. On the ensuing LMU possession, Vérin had a block, then converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a six point game.
The clubs traded buckets, to get it to 67-61 with 3:24 to play. The Lions connected on a pair of threes to offset a UCR bucket to make it a two-point contest, 69-67 with under a minute to play.
DeCoud sank a two free throws to push the blue and gold advantage to four, 71-67, appearing to ice the game. Leslie Lopez-Wood made a wild three from the left corner to make it a one point-game.
Verin made one of two at the line. The Lions called for time after the second free throw with 20 seconds remaining. After the short discussion, the Lions went inside to Johnson, who made a quick move and dropped in a hook shot.
Coach Margaritis, who now stands at 299 careers wins, stopped the action to draw a play of his own.
DeCoud dribbled into a pick from Vérin, which the Lions switched, leaving DeCoud isolated against Johnson. The Riverside native maneuvered her way into space a buried a three over the outstretched hand of Johnson, quieting the Gersten Pavilion. She finished with team-highs 19 points and eight rebounds.
Holt poured in 17, knocking down 3-6 attempts from distance. Vérin tallied 16 points to go with five assists and four rebounds. Michelle Curry had 12, and Léfevbre chipped in 11 to make five Highlanders in double digits for the first time this season, however they got no points from the bench–also a season first.
The team heads to the Midwest for games at Missouri on Monday, and at Kansas on Wednesday.
