ROHNERT PARK, Calif. —The University of California San Diego women's basketball team (RV) defeated Sonoma State, 54-47, on the road this afternoon in a critical contest between the conference's first and second place teams. UC San Diego remains in sole possession of first place with the win, and extends its winning streak to seven.
With the victory, the Tritons improve to 15-4 overall and 11-3 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. The Seawolves fall to 13-6 on the season and 9-5 in conference play.
It was neck and neck early on between the Tritons and Seawolves. The teams traded baskets in the low-scoring first quarter, as the Tritons narrowly trailed, 11-9. After the second quarter, the Tritons had pulled within a point (22-21).
Although the Seawolves put up six unanswered points in the opening minutes of the third quarter, the Tritons came back with a vengeance. UC San Diego went on a 14-0 run during the period. Starting the run with a 3-pointer,
Julia Macabuhay contributed six points during that time.
It was a nail-biter in the fourth quarter, as the Seawolves pulled within three with less than two minutes to go. The Tritons remained cool under pressure though, going 6-6 at the free throw line in the final 21 seconds of the game to clinch a 54-47 win.
Macabuhay led both teams with 23 points on the afternoon, shooting 50% (9-18). This is the eighth time that Macabuhay has eclipsed the 20 point mark this season.
Sydney Brown collected a game-best 12 rebounds, setting a new career high. Brown also put up eight points in the victory.
Sydney Sharp and
Tyla Turner both finished the afternoon with nine points and four rebounds. Sharp and Turner were crucial in securing the victory, as they combined for the Tritons' final six points at the charity stripe.
"I thought it was a great win for our team," said Head Coach
Heidi VanDerveer. "It showed a lot of resiliency, grit, and coming together for a common goal of competing. Our guards played great, whether it was Brianna [Claros] controlling the tempo, Julia [Macabuhay] being aggressive on the attack, Tyla [Turner] playing hard and making clutch free throws, stability with Syd Sharp, or Syd Brown's rebounding.
"We also had people come in and give us great contributions off the bench, particularly Layla [Ybarra-Harvey] and Issy [Parker]. It was really a solid performance by our whole team and a great team win, so we're very excited. I think it's something we can continue to build on as we reach our potential."
Next, the Tritons will head home. UC San Diego will host Humboldt State at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 at RIMAC Arena.
About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country. The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in summer 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent. A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. In competition, more than 1,300 UC San Diego student-athletes have earned All-America honors.
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