CALDWELL, Idaho - Damilola Sule notched another double-double and Paloma Ramirez scored a career-high 17 points as the University of California, Merced women's basketball team neared their first win of the season, but fell 59-55 on Friday afternoon in game one of the Les Schwab Tire Center Tournament.

The Bobcats (0-4) overcame a double figure fourth quarter deficit and had the chance to force overtime, or win the game with a three-point field goal, on the final possession before ultimately falling by four points.

Sule's double-double was her third in as many games and on Friday she scored eleven points and tied the program's single-game record with 16 rebounds. Sule also tied the single-game rebounding record a season ago. The Bobcats dominant post player shot 63% (5-8) from the floor.

Ramirez led the Bobcats in scoring off the bench and knocked down a trio of three-point field goals to help her finish with 17 points.

Tiffany Nguyen also knocked down three triples on just five attempts on her way to a 13-point night.

Victoria Farris and Deyliana Lewis added six points and five rebounds each. Lewis was also credited with the Bobcats only steal.

Farris' first basket came at the end of the first quarter and gave the Bobcats an 11-10 lead after ten minutes of play.

The Bobcats also led 14-13, but the one-point lead the Bobcats held on three separate occasions was their largest lead of the night. UC Merced trailed 23-19 at intermission.

College of Idaho opened the second half on a 12-5 run to go up by a game-high 12 points. Nguyen cut the Bobcats deficit in half with a pair of triples before head coach Kellie Bernard's team trailed by eight points heading into the final frame, 47-39.

Trailing by ten in the fourth quarter, Sule was key in getting the Bobcats back in the game and then a Nguyen bucket with just under three minutes to go tied the game at 53-53. When C of I gained their lead back, Ramirez had an answer and the game was tied with under a minute to play.

College of Idaho notched a go-ahead basket with 53 seconds left. The Bobcats had two opportunities to tie the game or take the lead, but back-to-back turnovers ended the Bobcats hopes and College of Idaho then finished the game at the foul line.

UC Merced finished the night shooting 38% (21-56) from the floor, a season-best 41% (7-17) from beyond the arc, and 60% (6-10) from the foul line.

Up next, UC Merced plays Eastern Oregon University as part of the Les Schwab Tire Center Tournament on Saturday, November 19 at 12:00pm PST.