ARCATA, Calif. - Despite a game-high 21 points from
Annette Ilg and a stellar 13-point, 13-rebound effort from
Charity Smith, the top-seeded UC San Diego women's basketball team dropped an 82-78 decision to No. 4 seed Humboldt State in the semifinals of the 2010 California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament on Friday afternoon at Lumberjack Arena. The Lumberjacks shot 48% from the three-point line and sank 8-of-12 in the decisive second half to defeat the Tritons for the second time this season.
UCSD weathered an early storm as HSU shot better than 53% in the opening half, but the Lumberjacks were unconscious from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes and made enough plays down the stretch to end the Tritons' quest for a first CCAA Tournament title.
Humboldt State, which snapped UCSD's 14-game winning streak to start the season on January 21, improves to 18-10 in 2009-10 and advances to Saturday's CCAA Tournament Championship game. The Lumberjacks will take on No. 3 seed Chico State on their home floor with tipoff slated for 5:00 p.m.
The Wildcats knocked off No. 2 seed Cal Poly Pomona, 71-56, in the first semifinal matchup of the day.
The Tritons fall to 25-4 overall and will now await Sunday's announcement of the NCAA Division II West Regional field. UCSD entered play this week with a No. 1 ranking in the current regional poll and if that holds up, UC San Diego will host all eight teams in the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Ilg scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half and Smith recorded her first double-double as a Triton, but it wasn't enough as the Lumberjacks took advantage of the rowdy home crowd and shot just under 52% from floor. HSU dropped six of its first eight threes in the second half and sank 11-of-23 from behind the arc overall to advance to a second straight CCAA Championship game.
"Any time a team shoots that well from the three-point line, you're going to have your hands full," head coach Charity Elliott said. "They shot the ball very, very well, but I thought we really got away from what we wanted to do both offensively and defensively and it cost us."
Brittney Taylor and Paige Peterson scored 16 points apiece to lead the Lumberjacks, who had five players finish in double figures. Andrea Bobic and Lisa Petty scored 14 each, while Luiza Osborne added 12.
Ilg finished 9-of-19 from the floor and also hauled down seven rebounds, while Smith dropped 6-of-8 shots on the way to her highest scoring output of the season. Chelsea Carlisle added 15 points and Lauren Freidenberg tallied 11 to go with six boards.
UCSD shot just 35% in the opening half, but forced 10 turnovers and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds to keep it close. Smith and Freidenberg combined to score 18 of the Tritons' 35 points as the rest of the team finished just 7-for-32 in the period.
Despite their cold shooting, the Tritons kept within striking distance and scored the final five points of the half to tie the game heading into the locker room. Tiffany Hunter hit a jumper and Freidenberg converted a three-point play to knot it at 35 at the break.
Bobic opened the second half with a three and Taylor followed with a bucket in the paint as the Lumberjacks assumed control early in the second stanza.
UCSD trailed 45-43 with 15:48 remaining when a 12-6 HSU run gave the Lumberjacks their biggest lead at 57-49 with 12 and a half minutes to play. All 12 of Humboldt's points during the spurt came from behind the arc, as Osborne, Petty, and Peterson combined to hit four straight threes.
The Tritons would rally all the way back to take a 65-64 lead, as Ilg scored five consecutive points for UCSD, but Bobic answered with another triple on the ensuing possession and Peterson sank a pair of free throws to make it 69-65 with 6:23 left.
Ilg's three-point play three minutes later gave the Tritons a 70-69 advantage, but the lead would be short-lived once again, as the Lumberjacks scored the next six points to take a 75-70 cushion with less than two minutes remaining.
Back-to-back baskets from Carlisle and Ilg made it 75-74 with 1:07 left, but Taylor scored on the ensuing trip and the Lumberjacks sank to five free throws in the final 38 seconds to put the game away.
UCSD held a 45-32 rebounding advantage and outscored HSU 46-30 in the paint, but the Lumberjacks were plus-27 from the three-point line, which proved to be the difference.
The Tritons are now 3-3 all-time in CCAA Tournament play, failing to reach the title game after earning the No. 1 seed each of the last two years. UCSD advanced to the finals in 2007-08, but came up short against Chico State, 69-63.
Sunday's selection show is set for 6:00 p.m. at NCAA.com.
