LA JOLLA, Calif. - UC Riverside women's basketball returned to the court on Thursday evening in La Jolla, falling 57-60 after a hard-fought return to play. 

Keilanei Cooper led UCR with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting in a first half that kept the host Tritons on their heels. After UC San Diego pulled ahead with an early 8-3 lead, Cooper pulled up and sank a jumper to later pull the Highlanders to within 8-6 at the 4:05 mark of the first quarter. 

The newcomer connection gave the Highlanders a brief lead in the second quarter, as Anna Blount connected on her second field goal of the night at the 6:14 mark on an assist from RyAnne Walters to put UCR up 18-17. 

Continuing on the newcomer train, a three from Mele Finau and a jumper from Olivia West brought UC Riverside to within two midway through the third quarter. 

A back-and-forth affair turned into UCR battling through in the third quarter to come within one heading into the fourth after outsourcing the Tritons 15-9 in the third frame. 

Blount entered double figures in the fourth, finishing on 4 of 10 shooting with four rebounds, but a final push would not get the Highlanders over the line. 

UC Riverside is back on Saturday, January 8 at 2:00 p.m. for the Big West opener at UC Irvine. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available on ucirvinesports.com.