RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside closed out 2022 at the SRC Arena on Saturday afternoon with a 73-62 loss to Long Beach State. 

The Highlanders' Big West home opener started much like Thursday at CSU Bakersfield with a slow pace on the offensive end, but UCR put together a mini 6-0 run after a pair of free throws from Jordan Webster. Webster was well on her way to a first-half double double with 11 points and five rebounds, additionally going 7 of 8 from the free throw line. 

The junior guard continued to go off for the second consecutive Big West contest, finishing with a career- and game-high  28 points on 7-of-17 shooting, 4-of-11 from three and a cool 10-of-11 free throw clip. Mele Finau returned to the Highlanders' lineup with nine points on 3-of-7 shooting to go with a block, a steal, five assists and four rebounds. 

Rebounds kept UC Riverside in the game in the first half with 15 apiece at intermission, as the Highlanders held a one-board advantage on the defensive glass. UCR finished with at least 30 rebounds for the fifth time this season and second in Big West action.

Ball distribution was also key in the Big West home opener for the Highlanders, who put up a season-high 15 assists on 21 made field goals. Anna Blount accounted for two of those steals in addition to her season-high 15 points.

UC Riverside ended the third quarter on a 7-0 run and was in the spirit of erasing deficits for the second consecutive outing, nearly climbing out of a 21-point hole in the fourth quarter before Long Beach kept pounding inside for the comfy win. 

UCR is back on the court on Thursday, January 5 with a 12:00 p.m. matchup at Cal State Fullerton on ESPN+.