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University of the Pacific

Women's Basketball

Late Comeback Falls Short Against Cavigal Nice

 

 

France Summer Tour Homepage

Nice, France - The Tigers used a 18-4 run to claw back, but Cavigal Nice took a 66-54 win over Pacific women's basketball in the France Summer Tour finale.

Erica McKenzie hit five three-pointers in the second half to finish with 17 points. Sophomore guard Kristina Johnson added nine points, while senior guard Ashley Wakefield chipped in eight.

"We never quit," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "We cut it to nine, but couldn't get much closer. We did a good job of battling back and cutting into that lead. That's what this team does, but we shouldn't have been in that situation. We have got to get better."

Pacific opened with a 3-0 lead on a jumper by junior guard Sam Pettinger and a free throw from Wakefield, but Nice responded with a 12-6 run. The Tigers answered, as junior forward Shanice Butler scored inside and Kristina Johnson hit a pull-up jumper and added a free throw.

After that, Nice seized control, scoring 13 unanswered points. Wakefield stopped the bleeding with a lay-up, but Nice scored six of the final eight points in the quarter to take a 33-18 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, McKenzie opened with a three-pointer, and Pacific penetrated to the basket for eight more points. Kristina Johnson hit a pair of pull-up jumpers, and Pettinger recorded back-to-back buckets in the paint. But Nice reeled off eight straight points before a three-pointer cut the margin to 52-34 after three quarters.

Pacific amped up the defense in the fourth quarter. Butler scored off a pick and roll, then McKenzie drained another three. Down 61-42, Pacific scored 10 straight points, as Kristina Johnson drove for two and then sophomore center Kendall Kenyon converted on the fastbreak after a steal. Wakefield and McKenzie's hit back-to-back threes to cut the Nice lead to single digits.

But Pacific's comeback ran out of time, as Nice hit a three pointer and ran out the clock.

Butler finished with six points and six rebounds, while Kenyon led the Tigers on the glass with eight rebounds.

"The good thing about this trip is that it shows us the things we need to work on," Roberts added. "We approach this as pre-season training. Our practices, but with really more intense focus. And that's really productive. We would have love to have gotten to 3-1 tonight, but it gives us a great springboard to next season, and tells this veteran group what we need to work on."

The Tigers wrap their summer tour of France with a 2-2 record.

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Players Mentioned

Shanice Butler

#32 Shanice Butler

F
6' 2"
Junior
Kristina Johnson

#3 Kristina Johnson

G
5' 5"
Sophomore
Kendall Kenyon

#10 Kendall Kenyon

F
6' 2"
Sophomore
Erica McKenzie

#22 Erica McKenzie

G
5' 6"
Senior
Sam Pettinger

#14 Sam Pettinger

G
5' 10"
Junior
Ashley Wakefield

#11 Ashley Wakefield

G
5' 11"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Shanice Butler

#32 Shanice Butler

6' 2"
Junior
F
Kristina Johnson

#3 Kristina Johnson

5' 5"
Sophomore
G
Kendall Kenyon

#10 Kendall Kenyon

6' 2"
Sophomore
F
Erica McKenzie

#22 Erica McKenzie

5' 6"
Senior
G
Sam Pettinger

#14 Sam Pettinger

5' 10"
Junior
G
Ashley Wakefield

#11 Ashley Wakefield

5' 11"
Senior
G