CHICO, Calif. - The UC San Diego women's basketball team could not overcome a 15 point first half, falling by 60-51 score to 18th-ranked Chico State on Friday evening in Acker Gym on the CSUC campus. With the loss the Tritons fall to 15-6 overall and 7-4 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play while the Wildcats improve to 17-4 overall and 10-2 in league action.

The Tritons stumbled out of the gates, making only six of 27 first half shots, including a dismal 1-for-12 performance from long range. Chico State did not shoot it much better, but an 11-for-27 first half gave the Wildcats a 24-15 advantage going into intermission.

Both teams shot the ball much better in the second stanza, but it was Chico State that made 65.7% of its shots from the field, including four of seven from behind the 3-point arc. The Tritons grabbed five more rebounds and went 15 of 18 from the charity stripe to keep it close, but the 31.4% overall shooting performance from the field eventually led to UCSD's demise.

Meaghan Noud scored a game-high 20 point in the loss for the Tritons while teammate Michelle Osier posted a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Alexis Gaskin added eight points and three boards while Alexis Mezzetta chipped in with seven points, five rebounds and three assists.

Audriana Spencer led the Wildcats on the night with her 16 points and nine rebounds. Spencer was deadly from long distance, making four of seven shots from 3-point range. Jade Smith-Williams contributed 15 points and a game-high seven assists while Cory Edwards notched 10 points to round out the Wildcat players in double figures.

Chico State played only seven players in the game, all of whom played at least 18 minutes, topped off by Smith-Williams' 38 minutes on the floor.

UCSD first year head coach Charity Elliott and her squad will return to action on Saturday night, playing at Cal State Stanislaus at 5:30 p.m.