MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team set a program-record for the fewest points allowed in a California Pacific Conference game in a 90-29 win over Pacific Union College on Saturday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
The Bobcats (8-8, 2-0) forced 29 turnovers and collected 18 steals, while limiting PUC to a .241 field goal percentage and holding the Pioneers without a three-pointer. The 29 forced turnovers and 61-point margin of victory are both Kellie Bernard era records. Saturday marked the first time a Bobcats opponent went without a three-pointer since December 10, 2021.
UC Merced also held a +26 rebounding advantage, 51-25. Offensively, UC Merced had 27 assists on 33 made baskets. The Bobcats splashed thirteen three-pointers.
With the win, UC Merced tied its longest winning streak under Bernard at four games. The Bobcats are 2-0 in Cal Pac play for the third time in the last four years.
Nicole Lukito continued her stellar season tying her career-long streak with six straight double-double's. The sophomore finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. It was her 13th double-double of the season, making her just the third player in conference history to post 13 or more double-double's in back-to-back seasons. Lukito also had five assists and two steals.
Sarina Nagra was strong on both ends of the floor with 20 points and a season-high three steals needing just 22 minutes to do so. Nagra hit 75% (3-4) of her three-point attempts in her second 20-point outing in the last four games.
Leilani Blecha stayed hot from downtown with five more triples (5-8) on her way to 19 points. She added a career-high tying four assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
Megan Williams posted double digits for the third consecutive game with 12 points and filled the stat sheet with a season-high eight rebounds and a UC Merced career-high three blocks and three steals.
Other notables include seven points and four assists from Mariah Flores, five assists from Elise LeBeau, two three-pointers from Gabby Martini, and two blocks from Quinn Godfrey.
UC Merced scored ten points in the first three minutes and never looked back, including holding a 24-7 lead at the end of the first quarter highlighted by seven points and three assists from Lukito. The Bobcats forced eight early PUC turnovers in the period.
After the two teams traded buckets to start the second quarter, Nagra buried back-to-back three-pointers and UC Merced went into halftime on a 10-0 run holding a 46-18 lead. UC Merced was 4-8 from long range overall in the quarter with Blecha hitting the other two triples.
The third quarter was the most dominant of the night for UC Merced, outscoring the Pioneers 25-5. The Bobcats started the frame on an 11-0 run across the first four minutes highlighted by seven Blecha points, extending the lead to 39 points. A little later, the Bobcats put together a 10-0 quarter-ending run to hold a 71-23 lead entering the final ten minutes.
UC Merced recorded its longest surge of the night in the final frame, finishing the game with 19 unanswered points to complete the 90-29 win. The Bobcats held PUC without a point for the final seven and a half minutes to set the program record for the fewest amount of points allowed in a conference game. Gabby Martini was key to the final seven minutes with two triples and a steal.
UC Merced has won 19 consecutive games against PUC and is 22-1 all-time against the opponent.
Up next, the Bobcats will travel to Redding, Calif., to face Simpson University on Saturday, January 25. Tipoff inside the James M. Grant Center is scheduled for 2:00pm.
The originally scheduled nonconference game at Stanton University on Monday, January 20, has been canceled.
