MERCED, Calif. — The University of California, Merced women's basketball team established control in the opening minutes of the game and led by double-digits for nearly the final three quarters, defeating Stanislaus State 70-52 on Thursday evening at Greg and Cathie Hostetler Court.
The Bobcats (6-12, 3-8 CCAA) pushed the lead to as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter behind a complete performance, holding the Warriors to just 30% shooting and limiting them to just 19% from three-point range. Stanislaus State's field goal percentage and 52 points scored are lowest of any Bobcat opponent this season.
Sarina Nagra led all scorers in this contest with 24 points, tying a career-high with six made three-pointers. Nagra connected on a total of nine field goals, something she has done now three times this season. The junior shot 56% (9-16) from the field and 55% (6-11) from beyond the arc, extending her streak of double digit scoring to five straight games. She also added two steals and a block.
Nicole Lukito finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds to record her fourth straight double-double and ninth of the season. She tied a season high with three made three-pointers, shooting 70% (3-4) from beyond the arc while inching closer to 1,000 career points. She also contributed three blocks, two assists and two steals. With her two assists, Lukito passed Shelby Howard for eighth in program history with 155 career assists.
Paloma Ramirez set a new season high with five assists, tying her career best, and finished with seven points, six rebounds and two steals. Ramirez now has a steal in 12 straight games.
Quinn Godfrey finished with a career-best four blocks to go along with nine points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Godfrey is now sixth in program history with 33 career blocks, passing Mia Belvin and Rainah Smith.
Jazzy Beltran added six points, four assists and a steal. Beltran's four assists moved her ahead of Cierra McClain for tenth in program history with 145 career assists.
Elise LeBeau had five points and a steal bringing her streak to five straight games with a steal. Other notables include three assists from Ixchel Rojo Valdez and three rebounds from Amanda Torrez.
The only lead changes of the night came in the first quarter as the Warriors capitalized on a few early Bobcat turnovers and missed layups. Stanislaus State scored the first two baskets before the Bobcats got on the board on a Nagra layup off a give-and-go assist from Lukito. Nagra would score the games next points with a deep three-pointer to give the Bobcats a 5-4 lead. Stanislaus responded with a jumper to briefly regain the lead, 6-5, but it would be the Warriors' final advantage of the night. Lukito answered on the ensuing possession with a three-pointer, and UC Merced began to pull away. Godfrey accounted for the next two baskets in the quarter, one coming on a high-arching assist from Ramirez over a defender and the other on a tough putback finish from under the basket. Nagra closed the quarter by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers as the Bobcats took an 18-10 lead into the second quarter.
The lead stretched to double digits just seconds into the second quarter as the Bobcats scored on their opening possession, with Beltran finding Nagra for a layup. Lukito would sink her second three-pointer at 7:21 to give the bobcats a 26-12 advantage. Ramirez later sunk a three-pointer off an assist from Rojo Valdez inside the final two minutes of the half to give UC Merced its largest lead of the period at 34-17. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but the Bobcats limited the Warriors to just four field goals and a single free throw in the quarter as Stan State shot 21%. UC Merced carried a 36-20 lead heading into the intermission.
The Bobcats opened the third quarter at the free-throw line where Lukito converted both attempts for the first points of the half at the eight minute mark. UC Merced did not score again for the next three minutes before Godfrey finished through contact and completed a three-point play at the line pushing the lead to 41-22. The scoring would go back and forth until the 3:30 mark when Ramirez grabbed a steal and finished the fast-break layup to make it 45-28. Ramirez returned to the line on the very next possession and extended the lead back to 19 points. The Bobcats went a perfect 7-for-7 with Lukito, Godfrey, LeBeau and Ramirez all converting their free throw attempts in the third quarter. LeBeau capped the period with a buzzer beating floater in the paint as time expired, sending UC Merced into the fourth quarter with a 54-36 lead.
UC Merced opened the final quarter with strong defense and did not allow a Stanislaus State basket for the first three minutes. Nagra would hit a jumper at 3:47, assisted by Lukito, to give the Bobcats their largest lead of the game at 64-44. The Warriors would go on an 8-0 run over the next minute and half to pull within 12 points, 64-52, inside the final two minutes. Beltran then scored all six of her points in the final minute, going 4-4 at the free-throw line and adding a jumper with nine seconds remaining to seal the 70-52 victory.
Up next, UC Merced will travel to Turlock to face Stanislaus State again on Saturday, January 24. Tipoff is set for 1:00pm inside Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena.
