FRESNO, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team lost 75-47 to NCAA Division II foe Fresno Pacific University on Tuesday afternoon.

Nicole Lukito led the Bobcats (3-8) efforts with 13 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.

Niamey Guillory also scored 13 points, while Megan Williams added a season-high eight points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Leilani Blecha had six points to go along with season-high's of five rebounds and three assists.

Other notables include six rebounds and two steals from Paloma Ramirez and three assists from Jazzy Beltran.

Fresno Pacific, winners of five straight, was led Maesyn Rix's double-double of 18 points on 80% shooting and 12 rebounds.

FPU led from start to finish and scored the games first seven points. The Bobcats managed to pull within a point at 9-8 but found themselves trailing 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Head coach Kellie Bernard's team remained within nine points for the first six minutes of the second quarter before a Fresno Pacific triple made it 33-21 Sunbirds. FPU extended their lead to 16 points at 37-21 90 seconds before intermission and led 39-25 at the half.

The 14-point margin was the smallest the rest of the day. The Bobcats trailed 49-30 midway through the third quarter and the deficit was 20+ for the majority of the fourth quarter. UC Merced was outscored 19-9 in the final frame. Blecha scored four of the Bobcats nine points, including knocking down the Bobcats only three-pointer of the game.

UC Merced finished the night shooting 32.7% from the field, 7.1% from downtown, and 58.8% from the charity stripe.

Looking ahead, UC Merced will jump back into California Pacific Conference play when it hosts Simpson University on Tuesday, January 2 at 5:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.