ROCKLIN, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team fell 86-63 to Jessup University on Saturday afternoon at Warrior Arena.
Leilani Blecha led the Bobcats (3-7, 2-2) with a career-high 20 points on 55% (5-9) shooting from beyond the arc, becoming the Bobcats second 20-point scorer this season.
Nicole Lukito recorded her third consecutive double-double and finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Lukito, who made five of her seven field goal attempts, also had a block and a steal.
Niamey Guillory had eight points and five rebounds, while Sarina Nagra scored seven points. Four Bobcats pitched in four points each.
Other notables include four assists from Jazzy Beltran and three assists from Paloma Ramirez. Beltran's four assists tied her season-high.
In the second meeting between these two teams this year, Jessup took a 13-4 lead six minutes into the game before the Bobcats ended the first quarter on an 11-5 run to pull within a possession.
However, Jessup created further separation in the second quarter and outscored UC Merced 21-8 overall in the frame. Jessup led by double figures as early as the 31-21 mark and then took a first-half high 16-point lead at 39-23 with a three-pointer on their final possession before intermission.
UC Merced's Megan Williams scored first out of the break before Jessup used an 8-2 run to go up by 20 points. Head coach Kellie Bernard's team managed to pull within 15 points in the third quarter, but Jessup put the game away in the fourth with a lead as big as 30 points at 77-47 with five minutes remaining on the clock.
Jessup's lead reached as many as 32 points. The Bobcats finished the game fighting with a 16-7 run over the final five minutes of the afternoon. Lukito and Blecha combined for 12 of the Bobcats final 16 points.
UC Merced's 63 total points were second most in a nonconference game this season.
The Bobcats finished the night shooting a nonconference high 39.3% from the field, 28.6% from three-point land, and a season-high 81.8% (9-11) from the foul line.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats will play at Fresno Pacific University on Tuesday, December 19. Tipoff from the Special Events Center in Fresno, Calif., is scheduled for 2:00pm.
