ANGWIN, Calif. - Mia Shannon scored a season-high 20 points to anchor the Bobcats to a commanding 78-42 win over Pacific Union College in the California Pacific Conference opener Saturday night.
The Bobcats (10-3, 1-0) win marks a season-long four-game winning streak as well as a 1-0 start in conference play for the fifth consecutive season.
Shannon, who scored 13 of the Bobcats 16 first quarter points, found the bottom of the net on the games' first possession and the Bobcats maintained the lead for all but 13 seconds the rest of the night.
Joining Shannon in double figures were Aubrey Hayes (12 points) and Cierra McClain (11 points). Hayes's and Shannon's strong efforts raise their season average's to just over ten points per game, giving the Bobcats three players (Belvin, Hayes, Shannon) averaging double figures this season. UC Merced's three players are tied for the conference lead with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and University of Antelope Valley.
The three Bobcats who combined for more points than PUC Saturday night were also efficient, shooting 64% (18-28) from the field, including 50 % (3-6) from downtown.
Defensively, the Bobcats 42 points allowed marked the second straight game, fifth of the year, limiting an opponent to less than 50 points. The Bobcats have won 18 straight games when accomplishing that feat.
The Bobcats also forced a season-high 27 turnovers and turned that into 26 points at the other end of the floor. Mia Belvin and Rainah Smith each registered four steals, while Alyssa Ono and Haylee Owen tallied two. Seven Bobcats in total had at least one steal.
Belvin also had a block and notched her third game of the season with eight assists.
The Bobcats most well-rounded quarter was the second, where they outscored Pacific Union 25-9 and carried a 21-point advantage into the locker rooms.
Eight different Bobcats scored in the period, including five different Bobcats on the first five baskets.
The largest lead of the night was 37 points after a 14-0 run early in the fourth quarter. It was a Kimiko Sato basket that had the Bobcats up by that margin, 70-33. Sato had four points during the stretch and finished with eight points, six rebounds and a steal.
Her six rebounds shared team-high with Mia Shannon.
Other notables include four assists from McClain and nine points each from Belvin and Smith.
Up next, the Bobcats dive back into their non-conference slate when they host Bethesda University of California on Monday, December 17 at 2:00pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
