LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team exploded out of the gates Thursday night in its big California Collegiate Athletic Association game against Cal State San Bernardino.
The Golden Eagles raced out to a 40-18 lead at halftime and posted a 70-54 win over the Coyotes in University Gym. Cal State LA (4-7, 3-2 CCAA) got a huge game from its lone senior,
Rikke Fabricius, who had a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds. She was 8-of-14 from the floor and hit all three of her 3-point attempts. Fabricius was also 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.
Rebeccah DiRegolo also had a strong game with 11 points and nine rebounds, while
Chiderah Uzowuru had a good game off the bench with 10 points and three rebounds.
Sabrea Coleman had 16 points to lead Cal State San Bernardino (4-4, 2-3 CCAA).
Christine Delapina had eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while
Mackenzie Barnes had seven points, four rebounds and two assists.
Cal State LA shot 42 percent for the game (21-of-50) and was 5-of-12 from 3-point range (41.7 percent). The Golden Eagles were efficient at the free-throw line, knocking down 23-of-29 attempts. Cal State San Bernardino shot 38.2 percent (21-of-55), but the Golden Eagles held the Coyotes to just six first-half baskets while bursting out to the big lead. The Coyotes were only 1-of-9 from 3-point range and 11-of-19 from the free-throw line.
Cal State LA had a 38-29 rebounding edge.
The Golden Eagles got out to a big lead in the first quarter, going on a 9-0 run to break a 2-2 tie and closing the period on a 12-2 run to take a 23-6 lead.
Cal State LA kept it going in the second quarter and took a 22-point halftime lead, 40-18, after a 3-pointer by Fabricius and a layup by Uzowuru.
Cal State San Bernardino opened the second half with a 10-0 run to slice the deficit to 40-28, but that's as close as the Coyotes would get. Cal State San Bernardino made it 64-52 with 3:51 to go, but a 3-pointer by Fabricius and a layup by DiRegolo boosted the lead back to 17 points.
Cal State LA will return to action on Sunday with a game against UC San Diego beginning at 5:30 p.m.
