SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The 13th-ranked UC San Diego women's basketball team shot better than 55% from the field on the way to a 69-55 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in both team's California Collegiate Athletic Association opener Friday evening at CSUSB's Coussoulis Arena.
Chelsea Carlisle scored 15 points to lead the Tritons, while Krystal Urzua led all scorers with 21 points for the Coyotes.
UCSD (2-0, 1-0 CCAA) converted 25-of-45 shots from the field, 55.6%, to defeat CSUSB (2-1, 0-1 CCAA) in the first meeting between the two teams since the Coyotes upset the Tritons in the first round of the CCAA Tournament last March. The performance was UCSD's best mark from the floor since shooting 57.1% in an 83-47 win over San Diego Christian College on December 30, 2008.
"We're very, very pleased with the effort we got from everyone that stepped on the court tonight," head coach
Charity Elliott said. "Our defense was outstanding and we did an excellent job rebounding. We got great energy and intensity from our starters, as well as our reserves and it was exactly the effort we needed against this team."
While the Tritons were lighting it up offensively, they were just as good on the other end, limiting San Bernardino to 32% (21-of-66) shooting. UCSD controlled the glass to the tune of 43-29 and held a 36-16 advantage in points in the paint.
Carlisle and
Lauren Freidenberg scored a combined eight points as the Tritons took a 10-0 lead before the Coyotes got on the board with a jumper from Kymberly Ooten at the 4:06 mark of the first half. San Bernardino closed to within 20-14 after a triple from Urzua, but
Kristen Cabral converted a three-point play and
Annette Ilg hit a jumper to give UCSD a 25-15 advantage with 8:46 remaining in the half.
The Tritons led 27-17 before an 8-0 Coyote run closed the gap to just two, but UCSD responded once again as
Daisy Feder hit a three and Carlisle knocked down two free throws to give the Tritons a 32-25 cushion at the break.
UCSD shot 55.6% in the opening half, converting 13-of-23 shots from the field.
Much like they were to start the game, the Tritons were the better team to begin the second period, outscoring the Coyotes 12-3 over the first 4:40 of half. San Bernardino missed eight of its first nine shots in the period as UCSD extended its lead to 44-28 with 15:20 to play.
The Coyotes pulled within 12 at 48-36 five minutes later following another Urzua three, but
Tiffany Hunter scored four straight points and
Erin Noonan drilled a three-pointer of her own to give the Tritons their biggest lead at 55-36 with less than eight minutes remaining.
CSUSB would get no closer than 12 the rest of the way.
Carlisle was just 4-of-11 from the field but hit all seven of her free throws to lead the Tritons in scoring for the second time in as many games to start the season. The sophomore guard also snared a team-high seven rebounds and recorded two assists, a blocked shot, and a steal.
Ilg finished with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting to go with five boards and three steals, with Freidenberg was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor on the way to eight points, a new career-high.
Urzua finished 6-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-7 on threes, to pace the Coyotes, who handed the Tritons two of their five losses in 2008-09. Ashlee Ford finished with 11 points and three assists.
The Tritons are back in action on Saturday when they take on Cal Poly Pomona at 5:30 p.m. at Kellogg Gymnasium.
