2024-25 Cal State LA Women's Basketball – Season Summary

LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team continued one of the best runs in program history in 2024-25 with another winning season and another trip to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament.

The Golden Eagles recorded an 18-10 overall record and made a fourth straight appearance in the CCAA Tournament after finishing in a tie for fifth in the conference with a 13-9 mark. It marks the first time in program history that the Golden Eagles have made four consecutive trips to the conference tourney.

The 18 wins give Cal State LA a total of 55 over the past three seasons, which is the most for the program since the Golden Eagles won 56 games from the 2011-12 to 2013-14 seasons. The record for a three-year span is 59, achieved from 1978-79 to 1980-81.

The Golden Eagles were ranked ninth in the final NCAA West Region poll and narrowly missed a first-ever third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, but Cal State LA continues to solidify its spot among the best programs in the West Region.

When fully healthy, the Golden Eagles were among the top teams in the region. They got their season off to a strong start and went 5-0 in non-conference contests with wins over Seattle Pacific, Western Washington, Concordia, Azusa Pacific and Central Washington.

They had a flair for the dramatic in some of those early wins. The Golden Eagles rallied from a late 52-46 deficit to Western Washington with two clutch baskets by Lily Buggs and a pair of free throws by Nevaeh Asiasi sending the game into overtime. In the extra period, Cal State LA enjoyed an 11-3 advantage and a strong defense limited the Vikings to just one basket in the final 11 minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.

Later, in a thrilling 75-74 win over Azusa Pacific, the Golden Eagles got a go-ahead basket from Olivia Hodges with 1.5 seconds left and a spectacular block by Buggs at the buzzer to post the win over the Cougars.

In a 71-68 home win over Central Washington, the Golden Eagles got a go-ahead 3-pointer by Amaya Fuentes in the final minute, three clutch free throws down the stretch and a big defensive stop at the buzzer to preserve a big non-conference victory.

The Golden Eagles got off to an 7-1 start after eight games, which was the best opening to a season since an 8-1 beginning to the 2005-06 season.

Then disaster struck in the ninth game.

Not only did the Golden Eagles suffer a 68-41 loss at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Dec. 21, but they also lost senior guard Gabriella Rones for the season after a first-quarter injury. Rones had gotten off to a sensational start for the Golden Eagles, shooting a sizzling 53.5 percent from 3-point range (23-of-43) and averaging 11.4 points per game.

Without their top 3-point threat and leader on the floor, the Golden Eagles had to regroup, and, after suffering a pair of tough road setbacks - including a triple-overtime heartbreaker at Cal State San Bernardino - that's exactly what they did. Cal State LA recorded a season's-best five-game winning streak and improved to 12-4 on the season. Three of the wins during that streak were on the road - at Sonoma State, San Marcos and Cal Poly Humboldt - and the other two were 30-point wins at home over San Francisco State and Cal State East Bay.

The Golden Eagles then went 1-4 over a tough five-game stretch before turning things around by winning five of their last six regular-season games to enter the CCAA Tournament with some momentum. That stretch included an amazing 84-80 overtime win at Stanislaus State when the Golden Eagles erased a seven-point deficit in the final minute of regulation. The Warriors led by seven points and had the ball before the Golden Eagles unleashed their miraculous comeback. Three steals - one by Asiasi and two straight by Ronyae Jackson - ultimately led to a game-tying 3-pointer by Fuentes and Cal State LA pulled the game out in the extra session thanks in large part to a final go-ahead 3-pointer by Jackson in the final minute. Buggs had a season-high 32 points in the win.

The regular season ended with a meaningful finish to a 60-59 win over San Francisco State when Asiasi got the go-ahead basket with five seconds left and the game-sealing block and rebound - against her sister - with time running out.

Cal State LA bowed out of the CCAA Tournament after a strong battle with No. 3 seed Chico State, batting from behind to take a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter before ultimately falling by an 84-74 count to end the season.

Buggs completed an amazing four-year career and became only the second player in program history to earn first-team All-CCAA honors in all four seasons and the first to do it over four consecutive seasons. She led the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game and was second on the team in rebounding, second in assists, and second in steals.

She finished her career at No. 2 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,623 points. She set new program records for most games started (114) and most free throws made (379) and finished her career No. 2 in rebounds (885), No. 3 in steals (214), No. 4 in field goals (566), and No. 6 in blocks (68) 

Buggs was one of five players to earn All-CCAA honors. Juniors Fuentes and Hodges both earned second-team honors, while junior Asiasi and sophomore Sofia Fidelus earned All-CCAA honorable mention.

Fuentes was one of the most improved players on the team and was third on the team in scoring with 10.1 points per game and fourth in rebounds with 4.9 rebounds per game. She also led the team in 3-pointers made with 56.

Hodges also showed tremendous improvement and led the conference in rebounding with 10.4 rebounds per game while also averaging 9.1 points per game.

Asiasi had her best year with the program, finishing second on the team in scoring with 10.4 points per game and leading the team in assists and steals.

Fidelus also had a great season in her second year with the program. She averaged 9.3 points per game and was second on the team in 3-pointers, third in assists, and fourth in steals.

Cal State LA also excelled once again academically. Buggs and Fuentes earned College Sports Communicators All-District honors and several players were on track to earn CCAA academic honors as well.

Cal State LA Women's Basketball
2024-25 Overall Record: 18-10. CCAA Record: 13-9 (T-5)
Final NCAA West Region Ranking: 9
All-CCAA: Lily Buggs (1^st team), Amaya Fuentes (2nd team), Olivia Hodges (2nd team), Nevaeh Asiasi (honorable mention), Sofia Fidelus (honorable mention)
CCAA Player of the Week: Lily Buggs (Nov. 4-10)
CCAA Winter Academic Honor Roll: Lily Buggs, Ashari Cassell, Mary Cotton, Sofia Fidelus, Amaya Fuentes, Ronyae Jackson
2024-25 CCAA All-Academic Award: Mariah Blake, Lily Buggs, Ashari Cassell, Mary Cotton, Sofia Fidelus, Olivia Hodges, Kyara Walter
CSC Academic All-District: Lily Buggs, Amaya Fuentes
2024-25 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award: Lily Buggs, Ashari Cassell