RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In the final game of the back-to-back two game Big West series between UC Riverside and Cal Poly, the visiting Mustangs pulled away in the second half for a 67-53 victory.
"It obviously wasn't the outcome we were hoping for," said Head Coach Nicole Powell. "Being down two starters didn't help," she continued, "but we still need to be able to adjust when these situations come up. We can do better. We will keep our focus, get back to work, and prepare for next weekend."
Jordan Webster and Jada Holland were out due to injury. They're being evaluated and expected to return this season.
In similar fashion to the previous day's matchup, the Mustangs came out hot and stifled the Highlanders in the first three minutes with a 5-0 spurt. The Highlanders quickly answered back bringing the game to 5-4 before another minute passed, but the tone for the first half was set, with UCR playing catchup. When the Mustangs got out to a ten-point lead with four minutes left in the first half, the Highlanders hurried to close the gap. Daphne Gnago hit six critical free-throws in the closing minutes of the quarter to cut Cal Poly's lead to 24-17.
The Highlanders were most effective in the second quarter. Measured defense held off Cal Poly's bigs and sharp shooting. UCR got three pointers from Keilani Cooper and Suzan Kinran and scores from Joy Campbell and Georgia Ohiaeri to tie the Mustangs at 31-31 with 4:20 left in the first half. Cal Poly answered back with a pair of jumpers lifting them to 35-31. Ohiaeri would close the half for the Highlanders with a layup, making it a one possession game at the break, 35-33.
Joy Campbell scored a layup off her own steal to start the second half, knotting the game at 35. However, a cold-shooting third quarter that saw UCR put just three additional points on the board, which allowed the Mustangs to pull away with the lead heading into the fourth.
UC Riverside battled through the final frame despite entering it down 17 points, but it wasn't enough to catch the Mustangs. A 15-15 final quarter sealed the 67-53 victory and the series sweep for Cal Poly.
Three Highlanders scored in double figures in game two, including Keilanei Cooper who had 17, Ohiaeri who had eleven, and Campbell who added ten. Gnago had another strong performance on both sides of the court with eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Highlanders are back in the SRC Arena next weekend hosting Cal State Fullerton on Friday, February 5th and Saturday the 6th, both games are at 4:00 PM.
