March 5, 2009
Box Score
Bakersfield, Calif. - Despite a stellar shooting night that saw the Tigers hit 50.0 percent of their shots and score 70 points, the Pacific women's basketball team could not pick up the elusive road win against Cal State Bakersfield, falling 85-70, on Thursday, March 5. The loss for Pacific dropped its record to even at 14-14 overall while Cal State Bakersfield finished the season 19-10 on the year.
Plagued by the turnover bug throughout the entire game, the Tigers were unable to capitalize on what was one of their better offensive performances of the season, falling behind early into a hole they would not be able to climb out of. In the first half alone, Pacific committed 20 turnovers while the Roadrunners gave back just four in the half.
Tied at 9-9 with just four minutes off the clock, the Roadrunners used a 9-0 run against the Tigers to break the first half open and take control of the contest. After senior Amy VanHollebeke (Carlsbad, Calif.) knotted the game at nine with her first three-pointer of the game, Cal State Bakersfield responded with three consecutive long distance shots to propel them to the 18-9 lead. Again, VanHollebeke drained another shot from distance to break the Roadrunners' flurry from outside, only to see Krista Arase, Cal State Bakersfield's top outside shooter, immediately respond with the Roadrunners' fourth consecutive three-pointer.
Pacific would close back to within six points with just under five minutes to play in the half, however, another big run by the Roadrunners, spurred on by Tiger turnovers resulted in a 16 point deficit with 1:57 to play in the half. The 10-0 run over a three- minute span would finally be stopped by senior Janae Young (Sacramento, Calif.) as the senior wing would score a pair of buckets to close out the half and bring the halftime deficit to 12 at 43-31.
Despite the 12 point deficit at the break, the Tigers went into the locker room feeling as if they were in the game due to a hot shooting first half in which they hit 14-of-23 (60.9%) shots from the field. However, 20 first half turnovers for the Tigers and 7-of-12 shooting from distance by the Roadrunners had Cal State Bakersfield comfortably ahead at the break.
As the second half opened up, the Tigers went on a tear, led by sophomore Jennifer Fath (Carrollton, Texas) who poured in eight points in the first minute of the second half. A three-point play by senior Amber Simmons (Chico, Calif.) after a Roadrunner basket brought the Tigers within three of Cal State Bakersfield just two minutes into the second half and right back into the game.
However, just as the Tigers closed in the first half, the Roadrunners took the Tigers best punch and responded with a quick five points to put Pacific back down eight. Again the Tigers punched back, rolling off five points behind a layup from Simmons and a three-pointer from the corner by Young to once again pull back with in three of the Roadrunners.
Down three at 50-47 just five minutes into the half, the Tigers would again suffer a let down due to turnovers that resulted in an 8-0 run by the Roadrunners that pushed their lead back up to 11 points and put the Tigers behind for good. Down 58-47 with 13:46 to play, the Tigers would not close closer then eight points before finally falling by 15 to Cal State Bakersfield.
Offensively, the Tigers finished the game shooting 50.9% (29-of-57) from the field while outrebounding their opponents 42-to-26. Despite their advantages, the Tigers turnovers resulted in 44 Roadrunner points, a deficit Pacific could not overcome. Additionally, the Roadrunners finished the game shooting 44.1% (30-of-68) from the floor while also hitting 10-of-21 from distance. The Tigers were 8-of-17 from behind the arc.
Individually, the Tigers posted three players in double-figures led by Simmons who scored 16 points on 9-of-12 shooting. She also grabbed nine rebounds and posted three blocks in the loss. Joining Simmons at the top of the box score was Fath, who finished with 14 points, 11 of which came in the second half, and Young, who scored 12 points while grabbing eight rebounds.
For the Roadrunners, Katie Williams led the way with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting including hitting three from distance. Arase and Phynique Allen each posted 19 points in the victory with Arase finishing with five three pointers and seven assists while Allen hit 8-of-8 from the line and dished out six assists.
The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, March 7, when they close out the 2008-09 regular season at Cal State Northridge. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
