FULLERTON, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's basketball team got 21 points each from Mia Belvin and Haylee Owen but fell victim of a buzzer-beater, falling 73-72 to Hope International University Thursday night inside Darling Pavilion.
The Bobcats (3-4) would have been the first California Pacific Conference team to beat the Royals since November 12, 2016. Due to a putback with 0.1 ticks remaining, Hope International is now one of just three 8-0 teams in the NAIA and the only one west of the Mississippi. Those three teams are combined between NAIA Division 1 and Division II.
Owen's 21-point effort was a career-high and her stellar night came while shooting 75% (8-12) from the field, 60% (3-5) from beyond the arc. Owen also grabbed a season-high six rebounds and added three assists and a steal.
Belvin's third 20-point effort of the season came along with five steals. The senior guard, who is the program's all-time scoring and steals leader, has multiple steals in all seven games this year and at least four steals in four straight contests. Belvin also shot a season-best 75% (3-4) from distance.
Cierra McClain and Soana Afu tallied seven and six points, respectively. Rainah Smith and Nia Smiley grabbed six rebounds. Five of Smiley's career-high six were on the offensive glass.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats shot over 40% for the first time this year and the 49% (28-57) effort was the best since shooting 54% at La Sierra University on January 17, 2019.
The Bobcats also shot a season-high 47% (7-15) from downtown and 75% (9-12) from the charity stripe Thursday night.
Head coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery's team led for nearly the entire night and got the first four points from Afu. Soon after, Deyliana Lewis grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to start a UC Merced 11-0 run that had the Bobcats on top 19-10 midway through the first quarter. The Bobcats also led by nine at 21-12 and held a 24-18 advantage at the end of the frame.
UC Merced had never scored more than 16 points in the first quarter this season coming into the contest and the 24 points was the highest total since December 17, 2018.
The six-point advantage, 24-18, was also the first two-possession lead the Bobcats have held this year after the first ten minutes.
Early in the second quarter, Smith's second chance effort put the Bobcats up by a game-high eleven points at 33-22. However, the lead shrunk to five points after a Royal 10-4 run and the game was a one-possession affair at 37-34 approaching halftime.
Belvin doubled the lead with a triple, while the Royals Jhanelle Belarde sunk a pair of free throws to head into the locker rooms with UC Merced leading 40-36.
Out of the 15-minute break, Belvin pickpocketed former Pacific Union Pioneer Imari Clinton and it resulted in an Owen triple on the other end of the floor.
The early deep ball allowed the Bobcats to go up 43-36 and lead for the rest of the quarter. The Bobcats also led by seven at 52-45 with 3:56 to play but failed to score the rest of the period. With the offense not there in the late going, the defense was and the Bobcats limited Hope International to just two makes and forced three turnovers to remain in front, 52-49, heading to the fourth quarter.
McClain got the final ten minutes started with a make from three-point land to extend her streak to four straight games with a triple. Belvin and Gabriella Edmond scored shortly after and the Bobcats were up 59-52 with eight minutes left.
Three minutes later the Bobcats found themselves trailing for the first time since the first quarter, 60-59. The deficit was a result of an 8-0 HIU run. Vinessa Perryman accounted for five of the eight points.
Owen helped the Bobcats grab the lead right back at 61-60 and it was the first of seven lead changes down the stretch. Belvin put UC Merced up 67-64 with just under three minutes to play and after a Royal triple to tie the game, Owen matched it and the Bobcats were back up 70-67 with two minutes left.
Fast forward 90 seconds and Hope International led 71-70. Out of a Bobcat timeout, Smiley grabbed an offensive rebound and handed it off to Belvin who immediately went up and was fouled. She hit both foul shots that capped the Bobcats scoring on the night and had the visitors a stop or two away from ending the opponents undefeated season.
The Bobcats got one stop, but committed a turnover after and gave the Royals the chance to win the game with 13 seconds left. The first attempt at a game-winner fell off the left rim and into the hands of the Royals hero Nia De La Pena Thompson. Thompson only had time to release the putback before landing and did just that to win it.
Hope International finished with 22 points off 18 Bobcat turnovers and 14 second chance points off of 14 offensive rebounds. The Bobcats managed 24 second chance points.
Other notables include the first career start for Lewis and two offensive rebounds from Marisse Jackson.
Up next, UC Merced takes on Westcliff University tomorrow at 5:30pm inside Darling Pavilion.
