Highlanders Battle Back but Fall in Long Beach

Saturday, January 27

Long Beach, Calif.

3:00 p.m.

University of California, Riverside

10-10,5-5Big West

Long Beach State

7-12,2-7Big West

Team	1	2	3	4	F
UC Riverside	7	16	18	11	52
Long Beach St.	21	5	13	15	54

Highlanders Battle Back but Fall in Long Beach

1/27/2024 5:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - UC Riverside battled back from 17 points down, but dropped a hard-fought 54-52 matchup with Long Beach State on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UCR took a quarter to find its legs offensively, but opened the second quarter on a 12-3 run that saw a 21-7 deficit dissolve into 21-18.
UC Riverside went into halftime on a 14-5 run after holding the Beach scoreless for the final 2:47 of the half. The Highlanders shot 41.2% in the second quarter and led Long Beach State 10-4 in points in the paint at halftime.
Matehya Bryant gave UCR its first lead since 3-2 with a third-chance put back effort at 7:35 of the third before Makayla Jackson sank a corner three to build on the lead.
Esther Matarranz earned a free throw with a contested layup as UCR continued to flip the script with its inside game. UCR outscored the Beach 34-18 across the second and third quarters with 11 of their 13 made field goals coming from inside the three-point arc.
UCR waited five minutes for a field goal in the fourth quarter, but went on a timely 6-0 run to cut the game to a field goal after Jordan Webster connected on a driving layup.
The Highlanders used a 4-0 run in the final two minutes to tie the contest at 51 but were unable to push the game across the line.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Bryant put up her second consecutive double double on Saturday with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Webster has now scored in double figures in 28 of her last 30 games after pouring in a game-high 19 points. The senior was also one rebound shy of her second double double on the year.
UC Riverside out-rebounded the Beach 36-31 and outscored them in the paint, 28-16.

UP NEXT