Box Score
LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team put a major scare into the California Collegiate Athletic Association's defending champions, but came up just short of a big upset.
The Golden Eagles led by four points with six minutes left and were tied with less than two minutes remaining before falling short to No. 14 UC San Diego, 65-61, Saturday afternoon at the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (2-7, 0-4 CCAA) lost for the first time in three home games, but not before one of its best performances of the season.
Cal State L.A. shot 60 percent in the second half and 51 percent for the game while limiting UC San Diego to just 38 percent shooting for the game. The Golden Eagles also had a 40-32 rebounding edge and committed 20 turnovers to 17 for the Tritons.
The difference in the game came from the free-throw line, where UC San Diego was 12-of-19 and Cal State L.A. was just 1-of-4. The Tritons attempted 13 free throws in the second half, while the Golden Eagles didn't attempt any.
UC San Diego was also more dangerous from 3-point range, knocking down 7-of-20, while Cal State L.A. was 2-of-8.
Tiffany Hunter and Chelsea Carlisle had 15 points each for the Tritons (9-0, 4-0 CCAA), while Annette Ilg had 10 points.
UC San Diego hit five big 3-pointers in the second half, none bigger than a go-ahead shot by Carlisle with 1:08 left that gave the Tritons the lead for good at 62-59. Two free throws by Erin Noonan made it 64-59 and, after a basket by Miller cut it to 64-61, Carlisle hit a free throw with less than a second left to account for the final margin.
UC San Diego started quickly and scored the first 10 points of the game to take a 10-0 lead just five minutes into the game. Cal State L.A., though, got right back into the game and closed to within 12-10 after a layup by Johnson. UC San Diego led for the remainder of the half, but never by more than eight points.
Cal State L.A. closed the half with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 30-30. A free throw by Kuzma started the run and it continued with a layup by Whitley and a 3-pointer by Miller and ended with a beautiful driving layup by Miller just before the buzzer.
UC San Diego built a seven-point lead early in the second half, but, once again, the Golden Eagles responded. Cal State L.A. took its first lead of the game after a basket by
Brionna Baker gave the Golden Eagles a 42-41 lead with 13:57 to go.
A 3-pointer by Carlisle gave the Tritons a 51-47 lead, but an 8-0 run by the Golden Eagles erased that deficit. Three consecutive baskets by Kuzma and a jumper by Terrell made it 55-51 with 6:05 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Ilg gave the Tritons a 57-55 lead, but Miller tied it just 24 seconds later. The Golden Eagles tied it for the final time at 59-59 after a basket by Kuzma with 2:12 to go, but Carlisle's 3-pointer one minute later gave the Tritons the lead for good.
