Makayla Rose jumper at Saint Mary's
49
Winner UC Riverside UCR 3-5,0-0 Big West
41
Saint Mary's (CA) SMC 4-3,0-0 WCC
Winner
UC Riverside UCR
3-5,0-0 Big West
49
Final
41
Saint Mary's (CA) SMC
4-3,0-0 WCC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UC Riverside UCR 20 12 8 9 49
Saint Mary's (CA) SMC 9 4 8 20 41

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Highlanders Roll Past Gaels Earning Second Straight Win

MORAGA, Calif. - For the first time UC Riverside took on Saint Mary's in women's basketball. The Gaels entered the contest with a 4-2 record and a modest two game winning streak. The Highlanders entered 2-5, coming off their first road win of the year against Cal State San Marcos.  Entering this afternoon's game, the Gaels had three players averaging double figures with guard Maia Jones leading the way with 14 ppg. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Highlanders got off to a quick start as Zoe Tillery and Shelley Duchemin hit back-to-back three pointers, giving UCR a quick 6-0 lead. The Gaels would cut the lead to 6-4, but Esther Matarranz made a pair of layups pushing the lead up to 10-4.  UCR would end the first quarter on a 14-5 run and a 20-9 lead.
  • UCR's offense would pick up where it left off in the first, going on a 7-0 run to start the second. Both teams would go scoreless for a little over three minutes. The scoring drought continued until Matarranz made a layup with a minute to go in the half. The Highlanders led 32-13 at halftime. 
  • Both teams started the second half cold, as the Gaels hit the first basket of the third at the 7:27 mark. UCR went almost four minutes without a basket and it was Tillery's jumper that ended the drought. A Matarranz layup right after pushed the Highlander lead to 40-21 at the end of three. Both teams scored only eight points in the third quarter.
  • Taking a 19-point lead into the fourth, the Highlanders looked for their second straight win and their third overall. The offense hit a dry spell, as Saint Mary's outscored UCR 20-9. The lead, however, was too large to overcome and the Highlanders collected their third win of the year.

NOTABLES

  • Matarranz set a new career high in rebounds with 16. Her previous career high was nine. She also scored 14 points, collecting her (and the teams) first double-double of the year.
  • Matarranz added six steals a new career high. Her previous career high was four.
  • Duchemin led the Highlanders in scoring (15pts.) and was in double figures for the sixth time this year.
  • With the win the Highlanders are five wins away from the program hitting number 700.

UP NEXT

  • Big West Bold Week gets underway when the Highlanders host the Matadors of CSUN on Thursday, December 5 at 6:00 p.m.