MERCED, Calif. - A well-rounded effort from the University of California, Merced women's basketball team resulted in a 77-70 win over College of Idaho on Saturday afternoon inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
All five Bobcat (4-2) starters finished in double figures, led by senior Aubrey Hayes who tallied 16 points on an efficient 62% (5-8) from the floor. Hayes also sunk five of six free throws in the final two minutes of the game to halt a College of Idaho comeback. Mia Belvin finished with 13 points and two steals, while Mia Shannon and Rainah Smith each pitched in 12 points. Smith nearly recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds but was limited by an injury in the fourth quarter.
Senior Deja Jackson tallied ten points and dished out a game-high six assists.
The action-packed 40 minutes was highlighted by 23 lead changes and neither team was able to build a two-possession advantage until the halfway point in the second quarter. The two-possession lead came courtesy of a 10-2 Bobcat run.
Four different Bobcats scored during the run, which was started after Smith hauled in one of her career-high five offensive rebounds and Shannon finished the second-chance scoring opportunity with a stellar move in the post.
Hayes followed with a triple the next trip down the floor to go up 27-25. The opponent halted the 5-0 run with a bucket of their own before the Bobcats embarked on their second 5-0 run in a three minute span that put the Bobcats on top 32-27.
Later in the quarter, the Bobcats found themselves down 36-33 with the shot clock off. Just 10 seconds after checking in, sophomore Alyssa Ono fought through the contact and finished strong inside to cut the deficit to 36-35 heading into the locker rooms. Ono was fouled on the play but failed to convert the free-throw.
The Bobcats shot 44% (13-29) in the first half compared to the Yotes 35% (13-37).
The third quarter opened up with four lead changes on the first four buckets. A steal and score from Shannon had the Bobcats on top 43-42, however they had to play catch-up shortly after as College of Idaho took their largest lead of the game, 50-43, with 4:16 left in the period.
Strong shooting from the charity stripe helped get the Bobcats within one possession of the Yotes, including a pair of free throws each from Shannon, Smith and Cierra McClain. Belvin kept it at a two-point deficit (57-55) with a bucket on the final trip down the floor.
The final lead change of the game occured midway through the fourth quarter when Jackson read her opposition and forced the Yotes into one of their nine fourth quarter turnovers.
Jackson's steal resulted in a layup to go up 64-62 and it came in the middle of a 10-0 run. Belvin accounted for the ninth and tenth points of the run via the charity stripe to extend the led to 66-62.
Jackson recorded the Bobcats final field goal with 4:19 left in the game. Following Jackson's bucket, the Bobcats were fouled on six of their final eleven trips down the floor. All of those fouls resulted in free-throws and the Bobcats made nine of eleven to secure the 77-70 victory.
Overall, the Bobcats shot 43% (24-56) from the floor, 20% (3-15) from downtown and 72% (26-26) from the charity stripe. Other team notables include scoring 22 points off of the opponent's 21 turnovers and scoring 17 points off 12 offensive rebounds.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats will close out their season-long four game homestand on Tuesday night against Westcliff University at 5:30pm.
