RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Highlanders hosted a struggling Long Beach State team tonight at the SRC. Last time out, UCR lost at UC San Diego by double figures and tonight they bounced back with an impressive 77-59 over the Beach.
The game started with a back and forth first quarter.
Hannah Wickstrom got things rolling making two free throws followed by a layup soon after and the Highlanders were up 6-3. Long Beach State knotted the game at six on an and-one for Khylee Pepe.
The offenses ran cold for both teams for the next two and half minutes until Long Beach State took an 11-6 lead.
Kaylani Polk buried a three and
Taylor Swanson follow up with a layup and the Highlanders tied it at 11. Wickstrom scored on a driving layup and UCR led, 13-11. The big shot in the first came on a buzzer beater by Swanson and the Highlanders held a 18-14 first quarter lead.
The second quarter saw both teams struggle to score through the first until Swanson finally broke through hitting a three to jump start the Highlanders' offense. Wickstrom followed up with a jumper in the paint that put UCR up by nine. The Highlanders eventually built a ten point lead at the 1:21 mark in the second and took a 34-26 halftime lead.
In the third
Bria Shine started the scoring putting UCR back up by ten. The Highlanders eventually got the lead up to 22 points. UCR's defense held Long Beach State to only seven points in the quarter, and seized control of the game.
Early in the fourth, Wickstrom missed her first two free throws in her last three games. Over that stretch she made 24 straight.
The Highlanders built a 23 point lead twice in the quarter before winning by 18.
Swanson scored 16 points in 22 minutes for UCR, five shy of a career high.
Maya Chocano tied her career high in points with 13 on 4-7 shooting and 3-5 from distance. Wickstrom grabbed 12 rebounds with her 21 points for her third double-double on the year. She is the only Highlander to record a double-double this season.
Up next for UCR is a trip to Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, January 17 with a 2PM tip time.
