ARCATA -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team had it going for a half Friday in the first semifinal of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, but Cal State East Bay took over in the second half and pulled away for the win.
The No. 3 seeded Golden Eagles jumped out to a 38-26 halftime lead, but managed only five baskets in the second half to fall to the No. 2 seed Pioneers, 74-63, in Lumberjack Arena at Cal Poly Humboldt. Cal State LA (14-13) ended an outstanding season that saw the Golden Eagles record their best finish in CCAA competition (third) and earn their highest-ever seed in the CCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles also posted their first CCAA Tournament victory since 2014 with their win over Sonoma State in the first round on Thursday.
Cal State East Bay (21-2), which is the No. 1 ranked team in the West Region, advances to the CCAA championship game against No. 1 seed and regular-season champion Cal State San Marcos.
Lily Buggs, the CCAA Freshman of the Year, helped Cal State LA surge to its big first-half lead by scoring 17 of her team-high 20 points in the first two periods. She also had a team-high nine rebounds and just missed a double-double while completing one of the best freshman seasons in program history.
Nicole Flennaugh had 10 points and hit two 3-pointers, allowing her to equal the program record for 3-pointers made in a season with 89. She now has 155 in her first two seasons with the Golden Eagles.
Anai Washington also reached double figures with 11 points and she added seven rebounds.
Delia Moore had a game-high 22 points to lead four Pioneers in double figures. Mina Tameliau had 19 points.
Melena Bland hit a pair of 3-pointers and had six points for the Golden Eagles, while
Raya Smith and
Briana Anugwom had four points each.
The game was clearly a tale of two halves with the Golden Eagles getting the better of it in the first 20 minutes. Cal State LA was 16-of-29 in the first half, but just 5-of-21 in the second. Cal State East Bay was 9-of-35 in the first half and 16-of-31 in the second.
For the game, Cal State LA shot 42 percent (21-of-50) and made 5-of-15 from 3-point range. Cal State East Bay shot 37.9 percent (25-of-66) and was 5-of-18 from 3-point range. Cal State LA was 16-of-22 from the free-throw line, while Cal State East Bay was 19-of-24. Cal State East Bay had a 41-26 rebounding edge and committed only 11 turnovers to 17 for the Golden Eagles.
The Golden Eagles scored the first six points of the game - on four points from Buggs and a layup by Smith with an assist by Buggs - and toko a quick 8-1 lead after another jumper by Buggs. A 3-pointer by Flennaugh and a jumper by Buggs gave the Golden Eagles a 20-10 lead late in the first period and they settled for a 22-14 lead after one quarter.
After Moore hit a 3-pointer to bring the Pioneers back to within 32-26, the Golden Eagles got baskets from Buggs, Washington and
Iyanna Lamb to take a 38-26 halftime lead.
Bland hit a 3-pointer early in the third quarter to keep the Golden Eagles ahead by double-digits at 41-30 and baskets by Washington and
Alyssa Fisher kept the margin at 45-38 midway through the third quarter, but managed only a pair of free throws the rest of the period and Cal State East Bay closed the quarter with an 11-2 run to take a 49-47 lead into the final quarter.
Washington tied it at 49-49 with a pair of free throws early in the fourth quarter, but Cal State East Bay scored the next four points and led the rest of the way. A 3-pointer by Flennaugh brought the Golden Eagles to within 53-52, but Cal State LA went without a basket until a layup by Anugwom that made it 67-60 in the final minute. Cal State East Bay hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute to extend the winning margin.
The game marked the end of the outstanding four-year career of
Alyssa Fisher.Â
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