VALLEJO, Calif. - The No. 22 University of California, Merced women's basketball team tied the longest winning streak ever by an active California Pacific Conference team with a 65-44 commanding victory over Cal Maritime Academy Thursday night at the Physical Education Center.
The Bobcats (16-3, 4-0) tenth straight win ties a streak that was set by both University of Antelope Valley and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ), while the 4-0 start in conference play is the second in the last four years and has the Bobcats atop the standings.
Senior Aubrey Hayes led three Bobcats in double figures with a game-high 15 points. Thursday night marked her eighth double figure scoring effort of the season, second during conference play. Hayes also added four rebounds in the win.
Mia Shannon finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Rainiah Smith notched 12 points and a steal. Shelby Bohlmann and Alyssa Ono pitched in seven points and six points respectively.
The Bobcats led for nearly the entire night and got on the board first after Hayes splashed a three-point field goal for the fifth straight game.
Later in the quarter, Bohlmann converted a four-point play to give the Bobcats a 14-11 lead that never vanished.
UC Merced was up 16-13 after the first ten minutes of play and extended their lead to double figures, 27-17, midway through the second quarter. Shannon followed with three straight points to go up by 13 at 30-17. Ono helped the Bobcats maintain the 13 point advantage with a step back jumper in front of the Keelhaulers bench a few possessions later. Ono's bucket gave the Bobcats a 33-20 lead at the half.
The 20 points given up in the half marked the fourth time this season in which the Bobcats have held their opponent to 20 points or less in the opening 20 minutes.
Out of intermission, four different Bobcats scored in the first three and a half minutes, including Cierra McClain to give the Bobcats their largest lead of the night at the time, 42-25.
A trio of free throw conversions between Hayes and Kimiko Sato widened the margin to 45-25 with 4:42 left in the quarter.
Hayes got to the charity stripe once again towards the end of the period when she was fouled on a triple. The shot went in, as did the free throw to take a 51-34 lead into the fourth quarter.
The first four minutes of the final quarter was all about Smith. The freshman scored seven points on 100% (3-3) shooting and grabbed a rebound in the short span.
With just under three minutes to play, Shannon sunk a pair of free throws to put the Bobcats up 65-44, which is what the final score would end up reading.
The Bobcats 44 points allowed improves UC Merced to 34-4 under head coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery when allowing 60 points or less.
Other notables include a block each from McClain and Bohlmann and three steals from Mia Belvin.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats return to Hostetler Court to host Simpson University on Saturday, January 12. Tipoff inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium is slated for 5:30pm.
