REDDING, Calif. – Damilola Sule scored a career-high 27 points in her tenth double-double of the season, but the University of California, Merced women's basketball team fell 86-63 to Simpson University on Friday night inside the James M. Grant Center. Friday night's contest got moved up a day in order to beat the upcoming storms and potential flooding that was projected to affect travel.

Sule led the Bobcats (5-10, 5-5) efforts with 27 points, ten rebounds, and a steal. The sophomore has now gone over 20 points in three of the last four games and her career-high 27 points marks a 2022-23 team season-high. Sule has also notched a double-double in each of those 20-point outings. Seven of Sule's ten rebounds on Friday night came on the offensive glass.

Deyliana Lewis finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and two blocks.

Gabby Martini added nine points off the bench. Paloma Ramirez and Tiffany Nguyen scored five points each.

Other individual notables include six rebounds from Victoria Farris, three assists from Ramirez, and a block from Nia Smiley.

UC Merced trailed 25-7 at the end of the first quarter and never got within 18 points the rest of the night. The Bobcats best stretch was the third quarter, outscoring Simpson 23-16 over the ten minutes.

The Bobcats finished the night shooting 33% (23-69) from the floor.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats committed a season-low six turnovers.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats will play at Pacific Union College on Thursday, January 19 in Angwin, Calif. Tipoff from The Covered Wagon is scheduled for 5:30pm.