Skip To Main Content

Cal State LA Athletics

Main Header

Follow Us:
destinee
Darryl Dennis

Women's Basketball

Golden Eagles Falter Late In Loss To Sea Lions

Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team was unable to overcome too many turnovers and too many missed opportunities in a loss to Point Loma Nazarene on the final day of the CSULA Thanksgiving Classic.

The Golden Eagles committed 31 turnovers and were unable to slow down the Sea Lions in the second half and Point Loma posted as 74-69 victory in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (3-1) lost for the first time this season, while Point Loma (2-2) earned a split of its two games in the tournament.

Cal State Dominguez Hills beat Cal State San Marcos in the early game, 77-47, and finished the tourney with a 2-0 record. Monay Lee had 16 points and was named the tournament MVP, while teammate Tayler Champion had 14 points and joined Lee on the five-player All-Tournament team.

Callie Rhoads and Jessica Escorza of Point Loma and Paige Melville of Cal State L.A. were also named to the All-Tourney team.

The Golden Eagles took a three-point lead, 65-62, with 2:50 to go, but Point Loma went on an 8-0 run to seize control of the game.

Destinee La Fountain had 19 points and 15 rebounds for Cal State L.A., while Aiwekhoe Okungbowa had 17 points and eight rebounds. Melville, who set a career high with 31 points on Friday, had 15 more on Saturday.

Rhoads had 27 points and nine rebounds to lead Point Loma, while Escorza joined her in double figures with 17 points and Savannah Erskine had 13 points.

Cal State L.A. shot 49.1 percent for the game (27-of-55) and held Point Loma to just 33.9 percent shooting (21-of-62). The Sea Lions, though, hit nine 3-pointers and also knocked down 23-of-31 free-throw attempts. Cal State L.A. was 11-of-19 from the line.

The Golden Eagles enjoyed a 51-29 rebounding edge, but also committed 14 more turnovers than the Sea Liona (31-17).

Point Loma opened up a 25-19 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game, but the Golden Eagles took a 29-28 lead after a three-point play by Okungbowa. A 3-pointer by Brittany Pennell gave the Golden Eagles a 36-30 lead late in the half and the Golden Eagles settled for a 38-33 halftime lead.

Cal State L.A. got back-to-back layups from La Fountain to take its biggest lead of the second half at 49-42 with 13 minutes to play. The Golden Eagles held a 58-54 lead after another basket by La Fountain, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Rhoads put the Sea Lions ahead. A pair of free throws by Erin Anderson gave the Sea Lions a 62-58 lead.

Melville put the Golden Eagles back ahead with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws and a layup by Okungbowa made it 65-62 with less than three minutes remaining.

Single free throws by Rhoads and Escorza sliced the lead to one point and a three-point play by Escorza gave the Sea Lions the lead for good, 67-65.

Pennell had nine points and nine rebounds, while Alisha Belt had six points and six rebounds.

Cal State L.A. will be back in action in Friday with a conference road game at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad

Sponsors