Game Replay

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team made sure the third time was the charm.
 
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a double-digit lead for the third straight game and this time made it stand up in a 50-36 win over Point Loma Thursday in the Cal State L.A. Thanksgiving Classic. Cal State L.A. (1-2) earned its first win for new head coach Carter Shaw.
 
In the opening tournament game on Friday, California Baptist beat Cal State Dominguez Hills, 81-72, behind a 30-point performance from Courtney Nelson.
 
The Golden Eagles saw big leads vanish in season-opening losses to Azusa Pacific and Concordia, but they led almost from start to finish on Friday and closed the game strongly. Cal State L.A. relied on a defense that limited Point Loma to just 27.9 percent shooting and a 46-32 edge on the boards.
 
Kaija Powell had a game-high 16 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Golden Eagles, while Kiara Harewood had 13 points and six rebounds in 17 efficient minutes.
 
Jessica Escorza had seven points and 11 rebounds for Point Loma (1-4), while Amy Ogren and Madison West also had seven points each.
 
The Golden Eagles scored eight straight points to grab a 10-2 lead and never trailed. Cal State L.A. led 19-12 at halftime and built leads as large as 16 points in the second half.
 
Cal State L.A. shot 30.5 percent (18-of-59), while limiting Point Loma to just 27.9 percent (12-of-43). The Golden Eagles were just 4-of-22 from behind the 3-point arc (18.2 percent), but Point Loma was just 3-of-12 (25 percent). The Golden Eagles were an effective 10-of-12 from the free-throw line (83.3 percent), while the Sea Lions were just 9-of-17 (52.9 percent).
 
The Golden Eagles' 46-32 edge in rebounding included a 16-6 advantage in offensive boards.
 
Chiara DiMarco scored the first basket of the game and Jessica Johnson tied it for Point Loma before the Golden Eagles took the lead for good with their 8-0 run. Harewood scored on a layup, Powell hit two free throws and then a layup and Kiah Knox scored on a layup following a steal by Ali Orlich to make it 10-2.
 
A 3-point by Powell gave the Golden Eagles a 17-9 lead and a layup by Powell after a steal by Harewood gave Cal State L.A. a 19-12 halftime lead.
 
Point Loma pulled to within one point at 21-20 after a jumper by Ogren, but a basket by Geena Greene, a pair of free throws by Powell and a 3-pointer by Powell boosted the lead back to 28-20.
 
A 3-pointer by Orlich gave the Golden Eagles their first double-digit lead of the game, 32-22, with 10:29 to go. Point Loma got within six points, 34-28, but Harewood scored five straight points to give the Golden Eagles a 39-28 edge with 6:52 to go.
 
A 3-pointer by Franeka Hall gave the Golden Eagles their biggest lead of the game, 48-32, with 3:15 to go.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a tournament game against California Baptist at 4 p.m. Point Loma and Cal State Dominguez Hills will play in the first game at 2 p.m.