Feb. 16, 2006

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Senior Carolina Ruiz (Paradise, Calif.) scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead the Pacific women's basketball team to an 84-74 win over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, Feb. 16.

With the win the Tigers moved to 6-17 on the season and 3-7 in the Big West Conference, while Cal State Fullerton fell to 9-14 overall and 6-5 in conference play.

The Tigers opened the game on a 7-0 run as freshman Renee Roberts (Lodi, Calif.) had five of the Tigers first seven points.

Pacific pushed its lead to 13 points at 27-16 with 6:07 remaining in the half, but the best was yet to come for the Tigers.

Leading 29-20 with 4:30 left in the half, Pacific outscored the Titans, 17-2 to close out the half. Ruiz and sophomore Kelsey Lavender (Lake Oswego, Ore.) led the Tigers charge as the duo combined for 15 points during the run, giving Pacific a 46-22 lead at the break.

Ruiz controlled both ends for the Tigers during the first 20 minutes as she reached a double-double with three minutes remaining in the first half. Ruiz finished the half with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

The Tigers pushed their lead to as much as 28 points in the opening minutes of the second half at 57-29 with 15:06 left in the game.

Cal State Fullerton, however, made a run down the stretch. With the Tigers holding a 68-48 edge with 7:49 left, the Titans went on a 12-2 run to cut Pacific's lead to just ten points at 70-60. Cal State Fullerton got as close as six points with under a minute remaining, but the Tigers were 8-for-8 from the line in the final two minutes to seal the victory.

Ruiz's 33 points led all scorers, while her 18 rebounds were also a career-high. Three other Tigers finished in double figures as Lavender had 15 points, while senior Tina Sanerivi (Waipahu, Hawaii) and junior Wyvonne Jones (Wichita, Kan.) each finished with 10 points.

Andrea Adams led Cal State Fullerton as she finished with 26 points.

Pacific will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 18 as the Tigers host UC Riverside at 4 p.m. The game will be the final contest for four Pacific seniors, Lyndsay McNamee (Stockton, Calif.), Julie Melcher (St. Paul, Ore.), Ruiz and Sanerivi. The quartet will be honored prior to the tip-off.