MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's basketball team captured its fifth California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship after a 60-56 win over La Sierra University on Sunday afternoon inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
The Bobcats (17-8) tournament title is their first since 2022. UC Merced becomes just the third women's basketball program in Cal Pac history to claim five tournament titles.
UC Merced earns the Cal Pac's automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships.
Additionally, the Bobcats win extended their program-record winning streak to 14 games which is the fifth longest active winning streak in the country.
Nicole Lukito registered her Cal Pac single-season record-tying 21st double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds. The Cal Pac Player of the Year, who shot 60% (6-10) from the field and 100% (8-8) from the free throw line, scored the Bobcats final six points in the win. She also added three steals, two blocks, and two assists on the day.
Sarina Nagra scored eleven points while knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Leilani Blecha also hit a pair of triples finishing with eight points.
Megan Williams had six points, five rebounds, and two blocks.
Other notables include five points from Quinn Godfrey, three assists each from Paloma Ramirez and Jazzy Beltran, and two steals and a block from Elise LeBeau.
UC Merced, in a game that saw ten lead changes and nine ties, held La Sierra scoreless for the final two minutes after the Golden Eagles tied the game up 56-56.
The game remained 56-56 for over a minute until Lukito was fouled with 42 seconds left and hit both free throws to put her team in front.
After Lukito's foul shots, La Sierra had two chances to tie the game or take the lead but came up empty both times, including with six seconds left when LeBeau blocked the shot.
Lukito sealed the win from there, hitting two more free throws to put the Bobcats up by four points with four seconds left. She heard MVP chants while at the line.
Fitting that the Bobcats won the game at the free throw line as they shot a season-best 93% (14-15) from the stripe throughout the game. The free throw percentage was the Bobcats best mark since December 2, 2022.
UC Merced held a lead at the end of every quarter, including leading 35-32 at halftime.
Head coach Kellie Bernard's team led by a game-high ten points at 49-39 towards the end of the third quarter. However, La Sierra fought back from there with an 11-0 run that stretched into the fourth quarter to take a 50-49 lead with 6:30 to play.
Gabby Martini put the Bobcats right back in front the next trip down the floor with a reverse layup. Two more lead changes followed. La Sierra's Kadyn Mew finished through traffic before Nagra buried a three-pointer to give UC Merced a 54-52 lead inside of five minutes. Nagra's three-pointer marked the final lead change.
Lukito, and the Bobcats defense, got it done from there.
UC Merced forced 19 turnovers on the day and held La Sierra to just 34% from the floor and 20% from downtown.
Up next, UC Merced will wait to learn its next opponent when the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship 64-team field is announced on Thursday, March 6. The First Round is scheduled to begin on March 15.
