Contributing As A Team

Thursday, November 17

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 pm

California Baptist University

4-2

Cal State San Bernardino

1-1

Cal State San Bernardino

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

11/17/2016 9:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The last time Cal State San Bernardino came to town – two years ago – the game came down to the wire. Thursday night, No. 2-ranked California Baptist University took control earlier and dominated its way to a 91-73 victory over the Coyotes.

CBU improves to 4-2 on the year and opens its last season in the Van Dyne Gym with a win. CSUSB drops to 1-1 overall with the loss.

Five Lancers finished in double figures with Courtney Nelson grabbing the first double-double of the year. She finished with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting and posted 10 rebounds, all of which were on defense.

Cassidy Mihalko followed with 19 points (8-for-15) and was just one board off a double-double with nine, while Kamille Diaz chipped in 17 points (6-for-12), six assists and four steals. Emma Meriggioli finished with 15 points (6-for-10), five assists – only turning the ball over once – and three steals. Tori Mitchell rounded out the quintet with 10 points (4-for-7).

As a team, CBU shot at 52.2-percent from the field, including 40-percent from three-point range. The Lancers were on fire on both ends of the court from the perimeter, not allowing CSUSB to make a single three.

After the Coyotes opened with the first bucket of the night, CBU took over the lead and never looked back. Nelson posted up under the basket and then stole the ball away from a Coyote to allow Diaz to knock down a three-pointer. Diaz proceeded to steal the ball back again and found Meriggioli on the perimeter to give the Lancers an 8-3 lead early.

CSUSB tried to keep the game close, cutting the score down to one possession, 22-19, but a Diaz three-pointer sparked a 9-2 run to close out the first quarter, putting CBU up by 10 points, 31-21.

Nelson extended the run in the opening minutes of the second, draining a triple off a Meriggioli assist.

The Lancers blew open the game, jumping out to a 21-point lead with 4:20 left on the clock before halftime. Mitchell capped an 8-0 run with an and-one, drawing a foul as she drove to the basket. She rounded the play up to three, giving CBU a 46-25 cushion.

CSUSB managed to chip away at the lead a little, going into halftime down 51-36.

The Coyotes used that momentum to outscore the Lancers 21-19 in the third, looking for a comeback. After CSUSB cut the score to 67-57, Nelson fired off a shot from deep to stop the run and give CBU a 70-57 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

CBU wouldn't give the Coyotes any hope for a comeback, extending its upper hand back into 20-point territory, 89-69, before sealing the 91-73 win.

The Lancers head out on the road, taking on Humboldt State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CBU remains on the road until December, when it hosts rival Azusa Pacific on December 3.