RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside shot 62 percent in the third quarter ahead of grinding out a 52-51 win over Utah State on Wednesday night at the SRC Arena.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• UC Riverside held a 5-0 advantage in bench points after a quarter and 17-16 in rebounds at halftime, including 6-2 in offensive boards.  
• Matehya Bryant recorded seven points and seven rebounds after a half of play while UCR held the Aggies to just 1 for 5 from three. Bryant hit a jumper on the first possession of the second half for either team.  
• Julia Stenberg knocked down UCR's second three of the night early in the third quarter on Bryant's assist before Bryant's layup put her over 10 points for the night.  
• UC Riverside hit a stretch of three of four field goals to close the gap on Utah State in the second half as Bryant continued to lead the offense.  
• Esther Matarranz hit a layup with half a minute left to trim the deficit to 41-39 heading into the fourth quarter. The Highlanders were on a 10-0 run between the third and fourth quarters, and Bryant's layup that gave her 17 points also gave UCR its first lead of the night.  
• Jordan Webster sank a clutch pair of free throws with just over two minutes left in regulation as the Highlanders clung to a 50-48 lead. Webster drove along the baseline and gave UCR a 52-51 lead with six seconds remaining before Stenberg stole Utah State's last-second inbound pass. 

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS 

• Bryant recorded her second double double of the season and UCR's third overall of the season with 21 points and 15 rebounds to go along with four assists, four rebounds and two blocks. 
• UCR's 10-0 second-half run pushed the Highlanders ahead of Utah State for the first time on Wednesday.  
• UC Riverside's defense held the Aggies to just 1 of 8 from downtown.  

UP NEXT 

• UC Riverside is headed to the East Coast next, taking on Merrimack on Friday, December 1 at 8:00 a.m.