LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team came up big down the stretch to pick up an important season-opening win over PacWest opponent Concordia on Friday.
The Golden Eagles saw a seven-point fourth-quarter lead get away, but responded with an 8-0 run to end the game and claim an 81-74 victory in the opening game of the CCAA/PacWest Challenge in CUI Arena. Cal State LA (1-0) snapped a two-game losing streak to Concordia and beat the newly-rebranded Golden Eagles for the first time since 2018.
The game featured two of the projected conference title contenders in each conference. Cal State LA was picked to finish second by the California Collegiate Athletic Association coaches, while Concordia was picked third in the PacWest Conference by its coaches.
Raya Smith had a tremendous game for the Golden Eagles, pouring in a career-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
Lily Buggs had a 19-points, 10 rebounds and five steals and
Nicole Flennaugh had 13 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Teagan Thurman had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Concordia (0-1), while Katie Timmerman had 13 points and Jasmine Rachal had 11 points and six assists.
Newcomer
Ashley Orozco had a team-high four assists and four points, while
Silivia Fonongaloa had four points and six rebounds,
Anai Washington had six points and three rebounds and
Yesenia Smith had five points.
Cal State LA shot 47.1 percent for the game (32-of-68) and was 5-of-17 from 3-point range. The Golden Eagles were 12-of-18 from the free-throw line. Concordia shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) for the game and was 8-of-21 from 3-point range and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line.Â
Cal State LA had a 38-34 rebounding edge and committed 15 turnovers to 19 for Concordia.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Flennaugh to open the game staked the Golden Eagles to a quick 6-1 lead and they led by as many as 12 points in the quarter, 22-10, after a layup by Buggs before settling for a 25-20 lead after one period.
A basket by
Nevaeh Asiasi gave the Golden Eagles a 27-20 lead early in the second quarter and a layup by Orozco put the Golden Eagles ahead, 33-25. Concordia, though, scored the next 10 points and closed the half on a 13-2 run to take a 38-37 halftime lead.
The Golden Eagles surrendered the first five points of the third quarter and fell behind by as many as six points before tying the game on a layup by
Olivia Hodges with an assist from Buggs and then taking a four-point lead after baskets by Flennaugh,
Raya Smith and
Yesenia Smith. The Golden Eagles held a 57-55 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Cal State LA took a 71-64 lead with 4:19 to go after a three-point play by Buggs, but Concordia went on a quick 10-2 run to take a 74-73 lead with 1:49 to go.
The Golden Eagles were undeterred, though, and regained the lead on a jumper by
Raya Smith in the paint with 53 seconds to go and Smith added a layup to push the lead to 77-74 with 24 seconds to go. Buggs rebounded a missed 3-pointer and made two free throws with 12 seconds to go and Smith had a steal and hit two free throws with five seconds left to complete the win.
Cal State LA will conclude the tournament with a game against Biola at Concordia on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
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