LA JOLLA, Calif. - The University of California San Diego women's basketball team out-rebounded Azusa Pacific 54-31 en route to an 81-60 win to close out the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic Saturday at RIMAC Arena.
The Tritons win their second game in a row and improve to a 4-2 overall record. The Cougars drop to 2-5.
UCSD finished the game shooting 43.3 percent (29-67) from the floor and 41.7 percent (10-24) from behind the arc and limited APU to 35.8 percent (24-67) shooting on field goals and 28 percent (7-25) from three-point range. Of the Tritons' 54 rebounds, 15 came on the offensive end. UCSD showed off its depth, outscoring the Cougars 34-22 on bench points.
Redshirt freshman forward Mikayla Williams recorded her first double-double with a game-high 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Tritons. Senior forward Cassie MacLeod narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and a game-best 14 boards. Senior guard Taylor Tanita had 14 points and seven assists. Senior guard Beth Mounier pitched in 13 points. Abigail Goodsell and Casey Wortley were APU's top scorers with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
UCSD raced out to a 28-15 lead at the end of the first quarter after going 10-for-20, including six-for-12 from behind the arc, and did not commit a single turnover in the period.
The Tritons widened the margin to as much as 20 points, twice, in the second period. Two free throws from Williams gave UCSD a 52-32 advantage going into halftime.
UCSD grabbed its biggest lead of the game, 59-32, after starting the second half on a 7-0 run on layups from Tanita and Williams, and a Mounier trey. A Tanita layup with four seconds left in the third gave the Tritons a 66-45 lead going into the final period.
UCSD maintained its 21-point advantage the rest of the way as both teams scored 15 points in the fourth to account for the final score.
After averaging 17 points and six assists in two games, Tanita was placed on the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team and named the Most Valuable Player. Mounier was also named all-tournament after scoring 14.5 points per game.
The Tritons will enter conference play with a duel at Cal Poly Pomona on Tuesday, Nov. 29, starting at 5:30 p.m. UCSD won a share of the CCAA regular season title with an 18-2 conference record last season.
In the first matchup of the day, Saginaw Valley State defeated Cal State San Marcos, 80-49. Emily Wendling scored 24 points for the Cardinals and Ashley Jenkins put up 14 points for CSUSM.
Thanksgiving Classic Results
Friday, Nov. 25
Cal State San Marcos 79, Azusa Pacific 61
UC San Diego 82, Saginaw Valley State 69
Saturday, Nov. 26
Saginaw Valley State 80, Cal State San Marcos 49
UC San Diego 81, Azusa Pacific 60
All-Tournament Team
Abbey Goodsell, Jr., G, Azusa Pacific
Ashley Jenkins, Sr., G, Cal State San Marcos
Beth Mounier, Sr., G, UC San Diego
Taylor Tanita, Jr., G, UC San Diego
Emily Wendling, Sr., F, Sagniaw Valley State
Most Valuable Player
Taylor Tanita, Jr., G, UC San Diego
#AllForOne
