Riverside–Seniors Réjane Vérin and Simone DeCoud posted double-doubles in leading the UC Riverside Women's Basketball Team to a, 68-59, victory over visiting Cal Poly.
Cal Poly got out to an early, 9-3, lead in the opening quarter, before the Highlanders outscored them, 14-8, behind to finish the period tied at 17. Lauren Holt and Vérin had six points apiece for the home side. Hannah Gilbert paced the Mustangs with eight first quarter points–all in the paint.
The visitors scored the first two buckets of the second frame on a pair of free-throws by Lynn Leaupepe, who went 7-7 at the charity stripe for the game, and a layup by Gilbert.
Cal Poly led by five, 26-21, midway through the quarter, when the Highlanders got a three from Holt, followed by a pair of free throws by Vérin that knotted the game at 26.
Trailing 31-30 with 2:43 to play in the half, UCR went on a 7-0 run to closeout the second to take a, 37-31, advantage into the locker room.
Vérin led all scorers with 16 at the break, including 10 in the second, and Holt knocked down three of four attempts from distance in amassing 12 points. Gilbert landed on 14 points for the half on 7-12 shooting.
UCR made its first three shots of the third to establish a 10-point margin, and appeared to be seizing control of the game.
Cal Poly responded with basket by Gilbert and old-fashioned three-point play from L. Leaupepe to cut their deficit to five at 43-38. The Highlanders went on an 8-2 run that was capped off by a Clemence Lefebvre three from the left wing on an assist by Vérin, who pulled down the offensive rebound prior.
Heading into the fourth, UCR held a nine-point lead. They would push the lead to 16 with 5:22 remaining, only leaving the final score in doubt.
The Mustangs would trim UC Riverside's lead back down to nine, but would run of out time as the Highlanders extended their Big West winning-streak to 18 games, and moved back above .500 with the 68-59 victory.
Vérin finished with a game-high 25 points to go with 10 boards for her fourth double-double of the season.
DeCoud, who had never scored less than 14 points in her previous six games against Cal Poly, also grabbed 10 rebounds and poured in 12 for her second double-double the season–her first against the Mustangs.
Holt extended her streak of double figure scoring games to five with 16 points on the evening, and nearly made it a trio with double-bibles with nine boards.
Lynn Leaupepe finished with 19 points, and seven assists to lead Cal Poly, who got 18 from Gilbert in the loss.
UC Riverside will head up the coast to face UC Santa Barbara Saturday at 2 pm.
