LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 14th-ranked UC San Diego women's basketball team had a successful 2009-10 home debut, defeating visiting Biola University 76-55 on the opening day of the UCSD Women's Basketball Classic. The Triton defense was outstanding in the win, holding the Eagles to just 30% shooting for the game.
UCSD improves to 5-0 overall in 2009-10, marking the second time in the last three years the program has won its first five games to start the season. The Tritons won their first eight games in 2007-08. Friday's win also marked UCSD's first victory over Biola in six meetings between the two schools.
The Eagles fall to 3-5 heading into Saturday's matchup with Cal State San Bernardino.
Sophomore guard Chelsea Carlisle scored 16 points to lead three Tritons in double figures, finishing 5-of-14 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line. She also finished with two rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Last year's CCAA Freshman of the Year, Carlisle has now scored at least 14 points in all five of UCSD's games this season.
Fellow sophomore Daisy Feder had a breakout performance in the Tritons' first appearance at RIMAC Arena this season, scoring a career-best 14 points after totaling just 12 points in UCSD's first four games. The Santa Monica, Calif. native went 5-of-11 from the floor, including 3-of-8 from the three-point line, and also finished with two rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes off the bench.
Senior guard Annette Ilg followed up her career-high 23-point effort against Cal State East Bay with another solid outing, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting in just 18 minutes.
While several individual performances were worth noting, it was UCSD's collective effort defensively that really made the difference. The Tritons limited the Eagles to just 30.4% (14-46) shooting in the game, which was the lowest shooting percentage of any of their five opponents this season. Biola converted just five field goals on 18 attempts in the first half and made just nine out of 28 shots in the second.
Trailing 11-10 with 13:52 remaining in the first half, UCSD scored 13 unanswered points over the next five minutes to take a 23-11 advantage with 9:34 left in the period. Kristen Cabral started the run with a score on an offensive rebound and added a three-point play two minutes later as the Tritons took the lead for good.
Carlisle hit two free throws to put UCSD in front, 36-20, with just over three minutes remaining, before an 8-1 Eagle spurt made it 37-28 with 32 seconds to play. Shanice Howard then scored on the Tritons' final possession of the half to give UCSD an 11-point cushion at the break.
The Tritons' lead hovered around 12 points for the first 10 minutes of the second period until Charity Smith hit a baseline jumper and Carlisle scored five straight to give UCSD a 62-45 advantage and put the game out of reach.
The Tritons led 68-48 following a triple from Emily Osga with 5:38 left to play and her layup 67 seconds later pushed the advantage to 24, the largest of the game.
UCSD shot 37.8% from the floor, converting 28-of-74 shots, and outscored Biola 38-14 in the paint. The Tritons also got a season-high 43 points from their bench, outscoring the Eagles by 26 in that category.
Charrise Reece scored 14 points on 3-of-6 shooting to lead Biola. She hit 2-of-3 from downtown. Jennifer French finished with nine points and eight rebounds.
UCSD will look to keep rolling on Saturday against the University of Alaska on the final day of the tournament.
