MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team played stifling defense but fell 53-40 to 15th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona on Friday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (3-7, 0-3) held the nationally-ranked Broncos to their lowest scoring output in their last 29 CCAA games dating back to February 10, 2024. Cal Poly Pomona won its seventh straight game overall and improved to 3-0 in conference play.
UC Merced forced 19 turnovers and collected a season-high 12 steals.
However, the Bobcats were outrebounded by 23 and scored a season-low 40 points in defeat.
Nicole Lukito led the Bobcats efforts with nine points, six rebounds, and season-highs of three steals and two blocks.
Sarina Nagra and Kylie Salzler had seven points and two steals each.
Mariah Flores added six points, while Jazzy Beltran recorded five points and three assists.
Quinn Godfrey was good for six rebounds and two blocks. She passed Megan Williams for ninth in program history with 25 career blocks.
Paloma Ramirez registered a season-high three steals.
After a few first quarter lead changes, UC Merced led for the final 3:46 of the first quarter and held a 14-11 advantage at the end of the period. Nagra and Flores each had triple in the period.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams over the first five minutes of the second quarter as a Flores three-pointer was the only made basket combined. Sydney Corder Boyd hit a turnaround jumper with 3:05 left in the frame to put UC Merced up 21-13, but that was the Bobcats last score before intermission. The Broncos finished the first half on a 9-0 run to lead 22-21.
Lukito put the Bobcats back in front to start the second half before a 6-0 Broncos burst over the next four minutes marked the final lead change of the contest. Nagra broke the Bobcats scoring drought, but it wasn't enough to swing any momentum and the Bobcats found themselves trailing 39-30 going into the fourth.
CPP took the first double-figure lead of the game early in the fourth quarter and opened up the first six minutes with a 12-3 run overall to extend its lead to a game-high 18 points, 51-33 with four to play. The deficit was too much to overcome.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will host Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday, December 21. Tipoff from inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium in Merced, Calif., is scheduled for 1:00pm.
