MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team allowed a season-low 48 points and won their second straight game with a 67-48 victory over University of Saint Katherine on Saturday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

With the double figure victory, all four of the Bobcats (5-12, 4-6) California Pacific Conference wins have come by at least 14 points.

UC Merced held USK to just one point for the first five minutes and without a field goal for the first nine minutes. Head coach Kellie Bernard's team also held USK to just 18 points in the first half.

Nicole Lukito proved huge on both ends of the floor for the Bobcats and finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and a career-high five blocks. Her double-double was her eighth of the year and fourth in a row. Lukito's five blocks are the most by any Bobcat in a game since Mia Shannon reached that mark on December 1, 2018. More impressive, Lukito's five blocks are the most by a Bobcat in a Cal Pac game since Brittany Martinez on February 14, 2015. The freshman also added four assists in the Bobcats second straight win.

Sarina Nagra scored a career-high 13 points with three three-pointers to go along with three assists.

Leliani Blecha also splashed three triples for an eleven-point night, while Imani Johnson neared a double-double with eleven points and a career-high nine rebounds. Johnson also had five assists.

Megan Williams pitched in eight points and a block.

Other individual notables include six points and six rebounds from Niamey Guillory, and three assists and two steals from Jazzy Beltran.

UC Merced started the game on a 12-1 run over the first five minutes of the night and extended the surge to go up by as many as 18 points early on at 21-3 with less than 90 seconds to play in the frame. USK hit two three-pointers in the final 33 seconds, while Nagra splashed one of her own to allow the Bobcats to hold a 24-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

A 7-0 run gave the Bobcats their first 20-point lead of the night at 31-11 just over three minutes into the second period. Shortly after, Blecha knocked down a jumper to go up 35-14 and the Bobcats also led by 21 points at 39-18 at intermission.

Lukito and Johnson each scored in the opening minute of the third quarter to grow the Bobcats lead to 43-18. A Nagra layup extended the Bobcats lead to a then game-high 28 points at 48-20 with 6:19 to go in the frame. Head coach Kellie Bernard's team led by at least 24 points the rest of the third quarter and held a 59-32 lead entering the final period.

The Bobcats biggest lead of the game was 61-32 following a Faith Mucheru basket with 7:47 remaining in regulation.

UC Merced finished the night shooting 43.1% from the field, 28.6% from downtown, and 60% from the charity stripe.

Defensively, UC Merced held USK to just a .276 shooting clip. The Bobcats 47 points allowed bested the previous season-best of 53 on the road at PUC.

The Bobcats outrebounded USK 43-27 and forced 13 turnovers.

UC Merced is now 5-1 all-time against USK.

Looking ahead, UC Merced will host Pacific Union College on Thursday, January 25 at 5:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.