Feb. 5, 2011

Box Score

Box Score PDF

STOCKTON, Calif. - A 19-10 run late in the first half enabled Cal Poly to seize control of Saturday's Big West contest, as the Mustangs defeated Pacific 83-73. Jordan Rogers recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in front of 1,205 at the Alex G. Spanos Center on Pacific Plays Pink afternoon.

Freshman forward Danielle Peacon (Sparks, Nev.) led the Tigers with 20 points, including a pair of three-pointers.

Rogers (Sparks, Nev.) added four assists and four rebounds, while freshman guard Gena Johnson (Elk Grove, Calif.) chipped in 13 points for her fourth-straight game in double-figures.

Big West leading Cal Poly was led by 17 points from Jonae Ervin, who hit six of 10 from the field and and handed out five assists. Rachel Clancey and Desiray Johnston added 15 while Molly Schlemer (12) and Abby Bloetscher rounded out five Mustangs in double-figures. Cal Poly improves to 13-8 overall and 9-1 in the Big West.

Pacific out-shot Cal Poly, 42.9 percent to 42.6 percent, and out-rebounded the Mustangs 32-29. The Tigers also held advantages in points in the paint (34 to 32), free throws made and attempted, (20 of 27 to 19 of 21), and second chance points (17 to 12), but the difference in the ball game was a torrid stretch late in the first half for Mustangs, who shot 53 percent in the first frame. The Tigers held Cal Poly to 31 percent shooting in the second half, but the Mustangs capitalized on 20 Pacific turnovers, turning the miscues into 19 points. Pacific tallied 19 eight points off 15 Cal Poly turnovers in the 10-point ball game.

Bloetcsher recorded a team-high 11 rebounds for Cal Poly for the double-double.

Johnson tied her career-high with eight rebounds and set a new career best with five assists and with three blocked shots.

McKenzie provided the Tigers first two baskets with a pair of three pointers. After Cal Poly knocked down a three jumpers inside the key, the Tigers scored in transition with McKenzie finding Peacon, and Fath dropping it off to Rodriguez to tie the game at 12-12, forcing a Cal Poly timeout with 13:54 to go in the first.

After a three-pointer from the Mustangs' Johnston, Thompson and Taryn Garza (Modesto, Calif.) each scored inside as the Tigers took a 17-15 lead. But Clancey answered for the Mustangs with a three-pointer, and to tie the game at 21-21. Following a jumper from Rogers, Poly's Ervin tied the game at 25-25 with 7:32 remaining.

Clancey struck again from three-point range, and after a Peacon jumper pulled the Tigers to within one at 30-29, the Mustangs ripped off a 19-10 run to close the half as Burns kicked things off with a three, and the Mustangs defense forced six turnovers in the final 6:31.

The Mustangs connected on 54 percent of their shots (19-of-36) in the first half, for a 51-39 lead at the break. Cal Poly scored 13 points of 13 Tigers turnovers

Peacon opened the second half with a bucket inside and Rogers knocked down a three-pointer as Pacific pulled within 51-44. But the Mustangs answered as Johnston drained a three-pointer from the wing. Cal Poly built their lead back up to 60-47 on jumpers from Schlemer and Caroline Reeves, but Pacific whittled the deficit back down to single digits on a baseline runner from freshman Sam Pettinger (Everett, Wash.).

Once again, the Mustangs had the answer as another three from Johnston restored a 12-point lead just 10 seconds later.

The Tigers had one more run in them, as Peacon stepped out for a three-pointer and Rogers hit a pair of free throws to pull Pacific within six, at 69-63 with 6:06 remaining. However, Pacific would get no closer as Ervin hit a jumper from 17 feet with the shot clock at one second remaining on the next possession. After Pacific came up empty on the ensuing possession, Bloetsher provided a 10-point lead and Pacific was never within two possessions after that.

Peacon drained a three-pointer with 1:30 to go, but Johnston and Clancey iced the game with six free throws in six attempts sandwiched around Johnson's floater in the lane.

Pacific falls to 6-17 overall and 3-7 in the Big West.

The Tigers will face UC Davis on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Davis to start a three-game road swing. Pacific will travel to UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 16 and 18.