BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? The UC San Diego women's basketball surprised Cal State Bakersfield by a 101-91 score in overtime on Friday evening in Rabobank Arena. The game was the first California Collegiate Athletic Association game for both teams as UCSD improves its overall record to 4-1 on the year while the Roadrunners fall to 2-1. The win is a minor upset in that the Roadrunners were picked to finish first in the CCAA Preseason Coaches' Poll while the Tritons were tabbed eighth.
Head coach Janell Jones rallied her team from a 12-point deficit by using a 28-6 run over a seven minute span in the first half to take a 42-38 lead at intermission. After both teams traded the lead back-and-forth several times in the second half, UCSD's junior guard Leora Juster buried a jumper with 24 seconds remaining in regulartion to send the game into overtime. In the five minute extra period, UCSD out-scored CSUB by a 23-13 margin.
The win was the second straight league opening win for the Tritons over the Roadrunners. Last year UCSD handed CSUB its second worst league loss in program history, winning by a 73-59 margin in RIMAC Arena. The 101 points was the first time that the Tritons have broken the century mark barrier since scoring 103 in a win over La Sierra on February 8, 2000. The loss was CSUB's first overtime loss in program history.
The Tritons burned the nets all evening long, shooting 52.2% from the floor and an even hotter 63.2% from 3-point range. Junior Kim Buffum made 8-of-12 from long range and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe to account for her career-high 27 points. Juster also netted a new career-high, pouring in 31 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the floor and 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
UCSD freshman Michelle Osier also had an outstanding game, scoring 20 points while pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Hillary Hansen rounded out the Triton scorers in double digits with 12 points to go along with six rebounds and a game-high seven assists.
Katie McElree led the Roadrunners' offense with 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting. Jessie Loring added 22 while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Krista Arase and Kelley Tarver also notched double digit scoring, netting 15 and 14 points, respectively.
The Tritons return to action tomorrow night, taking on Cal State L.A. at 5:30 p.m. in the Eagles' Nest on the CSULA campus.
