FRESNO, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's basketball team got off to a hot start but failed to build on it and suffered a 66-58 loss to NCAA Division II opponent Fresno Pacific University Monday evening inside the Special Events Center.
The Bobcats (6-7) loss snapped a season-long three-game road winning streak and they finish 1-2 this year against teams from the NCAA's PacWest Conference. Despite the two losses, the Bobcats led for the majority of all three games.
Mia Belvin helped build an early UC Merced advantage with five of her team-high 17 points coming in the first four minutes and four seconds of the game. She also had two of her team-high five steals in the same stretch and is now five away from 300 career steals.
Haylee Owen and Deyliana Lewis both neared a double-double. Owen finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Lewis tied her career-high with ten points and grabbed nine rebounds. Owen's efforts marked her first 15+ point, 8+ rebound game in her career. Six of Owen's 16 points came from beyond the arc, tying the program's record with multiple three-point makes in ten straight games. Shelby Howard first set the record at the end of the 2013-14 season.
Rainah Smith added six points, six rebounds and two assists.
The Bobcats started the night scoring five straight points and led 13-4 less than five minutes in. Later in the quarter, Owen scored five straight points and a triple had the Bobcats up 20-10. The ten point advantage marked the Bobcats fourth straight road game with a double figure lead.
The Bobcats carried a 20-12 advantage into the second quarter with a 15-5 edge on the boards, 6-1 on the offensive glass.
Head coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery's team got back up by ten at 22-12 and 24-14. However the scoring slowed and after leading 28-19 with 4:47 left in the half, Fresno Pacific ended the half on an 11-0 run that gave them their first lead of the night at 30-28.
The third quarter featured three lead changes in the first three minutes and six lead changes overall. Owen started the back and forth action with a steal and a three-point make and after the Sunbirds responded, Smith found Soana Afu underneath for a 33-32 advantage. The Bobcats led 39-36 with just under three minutes left in the quarter but failed to score before the third quarter buzzer and trailed 44-39 heading into the final period.
Despite being outscored in the third quarter, the Bobcats forced six turnovers and held Fresno Pacific without an assist.
In the final frame, Owen quickly brought UC Merced within a possession but soon after, the Bobcats were looking at a seven point deficit down 50-43. The Bobcats also trailed by seven at 56-49 with five minutes left and by eight (59-51) with under four remaining. Needing offense, Cierra McClain connected from beyond the arc and Mia Belvin scored four straight to bring the Bobcats within a point at 59-58.
That was the closest UC Merced would come. Fresno Pacific managed to add two more field goals before they were tested at the charity stripe and hit three of four free throws to solidify the 66-58 victory.
Overall, Fresno Pacific made 23 of 34 free throws on the night. UC Merced shot 33% (24-71) from the floor, 16% (3-18) from distance and 78% (7-9) from the foul line. The Bobcats limited Fresno Pacific to just 7% (1-13) from downtown.
Both teams scored 23 points off turnovers and the Bobcats outrebounded Fresno Pacific 44-39. The Bobcats forced 19 turnovers.
Other notables include a career-high seven rebounds from Cierra McClain and six rebounds in 12 minutes from Marisse Jackson.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats home contest against Briercrest College on January 3 has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Next up is the California Pacific Conference opener against Pacific Union College on Saturday, January 4 at 6:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
