REDDING, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's basketball team used a dominant second half to beat Simpson University 71-44 on the road Saturday night and improve to 3-0 in the California Pacific Conference.

The Bobcats (9-7, 3-0) trailed by four points at intermission before outscoring Simpson 45-14 the rest of the way. With it, the Bobcats have now started 3-0 in the Cal Pac three of the last four seasons, the only conference team to accomplish that feat.

Deyliana Lewis and Rainah Smith powered the Bobcats to the win with 19 and 16 points, respectively, along with contributing in various other areas throughout the game.

Lewis' 19 points tied her career-high originally set on November 16, 2021 and her scoring output came while shooting 75% (6-8) from the floor. Lewis also hit a triple and converted six of her nine free throws. In addition, the Stockton, Calif., native recorded two steals and blocked a shot. Lewis has scored double figures and tallied multiple steals in a career-best three straight games.

Smith turned in her first double-double of the season and the eighth in her career with 16 points and ten rebounds. Six of her rebounds came on the offensive glass, three of which she put right back up for the score. One more double-double for Smith would make her just the second player in program history, along with Mia Shannon, to record multiple double-double's in three different seasons. Smith's performance also gives her 500 career rebounds.

Haylee Owen poured in nine points to become the sixth ever Bobcat with at least 800 career points. Mikayla Mabie was good for seven points, three steals and three assists, while Andrea Rogers finished with six points, four rebounds and three steals. Rogers has at least one steal in a career-best seven straight games.

Other individual notables include five points from Damilola Sule, two steals from Cierra McClain, and a triple from Gabrielle Israel. 

A tale of two halves, the Bobcats were held without a basket for the first five minutes of the night but did overcome an eight-point deficit to take a 13-10 lead going into the second quarter. Smith and Lewis combined for 12 of the Bobcats 13 first quarter points, with the other point being a Sule free throw. The Bobcats have held the lead at the first quarter break in seven straight Cal Pac games dating back to last season.

In the second quarter, the Bobcats jumped out to a 19-13 lead but Simpson answered with a 12-0 run to turn a two possession deficit into a two possession lead that lasted until halftime.

Following intermission. Smith found Rogers underneath in the opening minute and an Owen layup on the next possession tied the game at 30. Trailing 37-34 soon after, Smith buried a triple to spark an 11-0 run that put the Bobcats in front the rest of the way. Mabie finished the quarter strong to give the Bobcats their first double-figure lead at 50-39.

The fourth quarter was all Bobcats as they outscored Simpson 21-5 to complete the 27-point victory. The final frame's success was due to shooting 50% (3-6) from downtown, forcing eight turnovers and limiting Simpson to just two makes out of 12 shots. Head coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery's team scored the first ten points of the quarter and held Simpson scoreless for the first four minutes and ten seconds. The Bobcats then closed the game on an 11-3 run highlighted by triples from Lewis, Owen and Israel.

The 27-point win was the Bobcats biggest ever over Simpson and they improved to 9-8 in the all-time series that dates back to 2012.

Overall, the Bobcats finished the night shooting 46% (28-61) from the floor, 29% (4-14) from downtown and 65% (11-17) from the charity stripe. The Bobcats forced 23 Simpson turnovers and turned the miscues into 32 points. The Bobcats outrebounded the opponent 31-20.

Looking ahead, UC Merced heads to Arizona for three games in three days starting with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott at 5:30pm PST on Friday, January 28.