LANCASTER, Calif. - The No.22 University of California, Merced women's basketball team dropped a 95-81 contest to No. 10 University of Antelope Valley Saturday night at the Pioneer Event Center.
The Bobcats (17-5, 5-2) were led by Mia Belvin's stellar effort of 23 points, six assists and four steals. Cierra McClain poured in a career-high 20 points off the bench, while senior center Mia Shannon registered a 10 point, 13 rebound double-double.
Shannon's double-double marked her team leading fourth of the season, 12th of her career.
Aubrey Hayes also finished in double figures with 13 points and extended her made three-point field goal streak to eight games.
Shelby Bohlmann got UC Merced their first points of the night via the long ball, cutting the 9-0 deficit to 9-3. Hayes followed with her first of three triples to pull within one possession.
All five starters scored in the first period, as well as McClain who helped keep the Bobcats within a possession at the end of the opening quarter.
Shannon had six rebounds and two blocks in her first seven minutes of action.
The second quarter was a game of runs, with Antelope Valley embarking on the first run that put them up 30-22 with 5:45 showing on the clock.
Mia Belvin stopped the Pioneers surge with a strong take to the rim and just over three minutes later the Bobcats found themselves down by two, 34-32.
However, UC Merced trailed 41-35 at intermission against their highest ranked regular season opponent all-time.
UC Merced trailed by double figures 90 seconds into the second half and were down 55-40 less than three minutes in.
The 15 point deficit remained at 65-50 before the Bobcats started to chip away at the margin. McClain, Shannon and Belvin accounted for the Bobcats next 13 points to spark a rally and cut the deficit to 70-63 at the end of the third quarter.
A McClain triple made it 70-66, while a 4-0 run from Mia Belvin evened the score at 70 with just under nine minutes to play.
Antelope Valley failed to score in the first 90 seconds of the quarter but once they eventually found the bottom of the net, it broke the 70-70 tie and they would lead the rest of the night.
The score remained within five points, also within one possession at times, until 3:32 on the clock.
Antelope Valley led 86-79 at the 3:32 mark and ended the game on 9-2 run to capture the 95-81 win.
The Bobcats shot 40% (26-65) from the floor, 38% (12-31) from beyond the arc and 58% (17-29) from the charity stripe in the setback.
Up next, the Bobcats return home to start the second half of conference play on Saturday, January 26, at 6:30pm.
