Box Score

LA JOLLA -- Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team tried once again to stage a miraculous second-half rally in a California Collegiate Athletic Association road game, only this time they came up just short.

Just five days after erasing a big halftime deficit and beating San Francisco State, the Golden Eagles sliced a 12-point halftime deficit to just three points before falling to UC San Diego, 69-65, Thursday night in RIMAC Arena. Cal State L.A. (6-7, 3-6 CCAA) shot 51.6 percent in the second half while outscoring the Tritons, 37-29.

Cal State L.A. was led by Alisha Belt, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Gretchen Tiernan also had a big game with 17 points and five assists. Erika Ruiz had 11 points and Lacy Ramon had five points and 10 rebounds.

UC San Diego (9-7, 7-2 CCAA) had four players score in double figures. Emily Osga had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Chelsea Carlisle had 13 points and eight assists, Erin Grady had 12 points and six rebounds and Lauren Freidenberg had 11 points and four rebounds.

The Golden Eagles shot 43.1 percent for the game and limited UC San Diego to just 35.8 percent shooting, including only 29.6 percent in the second half. The Tritons were just 1-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc in the second half and just 7-of-25 for the game.

UC San Diego, though, had a big rebounding edge, 51-36 and had 23 offensive rebounds. The Tritons were also 14-of-22 from the free-throw line, while Cal State L.A. was just 1-of-3.

The Golden Eagles were able to generate their second-half rally despite committing 14 fouls in the second half to only three for the Tritons. UC San Diego was 12-of-18 from the line in the second period, while the Golden Eagles were 1-of-2.

The Golden Eagles took an early 7-4 lead after a 3-pointer by Ramon, but UC San Diego went on a 30-9 run to open up a 34-16 lead. The Golden Eagles got a steal and layup by Belt and back-to-back 3-pointers by Ruiz and Sonia Miller to cut into the deficit, but UC San Diego maintained a 12-point halftime lead, 40-28.

The Golden Eagles fell behind by 14 points early in the second half and still trailed by 10 points, 51-41, with 11 minutes remaining. A Tiernan layup, a Ruiz layup and two 3-pointers by Tiernan helped cut the deficit to just three points, 53-50. A 3-pointer by Ruiz kept the Golden Eagles within four points, 59-55, before UC San Diego stretched the lead back to nine points at 66-57.

Cal State L.A. made one final surge. A Belt basket, a free throw by Belt and a 3-pointer by Tiernan brought the Golden Eagles to within three points, 66-63, with 51 seconds left, but Grady scored on a layup by UC San Diego to make it 68-63. Belt got an offensive rebound and basket to cut it to 68-65 with just eight seconds left, but a free throw by Carlisle iced the game for the Tritons.

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a road game at Cal State East Bay.