California Baptist University
Point Loma
Rivalry Renewed with PLNU
12/9/2017 6:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A bit of a rivalry has been brewing between California Baptist University and Point Loma. The Lancers and Sea Lions have been two of the top PacWest teams in recent years, and the conference rivals met four times last season, including once in the NCAA Division II West Regional.
It showed when CBU and PLNU met for the first time this season on Saturday night at the CBU Events Center, as both teams battled for all 40 minutes. The Sea Lions prevailed 85-78, with a second-half surge, despite a balanced and efficient offense and stout defense from the Lancers.
Next week, CBU will host Dixie State on Saturday for a 5 p.m. tipoff before traveling to Biola and Cal State East Bay heading into the Christmas break. The Lancers are 4-5, 1-1 in the PacWest and Point Loma improved to 6-3, 1-1.
CBU shot 42.5 percent from the field (31-for-73) and 81.8 from the free-throw line (9-11), with four players scoring in double digits and six scoring at least eight. Tori Mitchell led the Lancers with 17 points and five rebounds, while Lexy Ram (three assists, four rebounds) and Ane Olaeta each scored 14.
Akayla Hackson notched 10 points on 4-6 shooting, while Emma Meriggioli and Georgia Dale added nine and eight points, respectively. On the defensive end, CBU held Point Loma to 36.2 percent from the field (25-69) and 20 percent from three (3-15).
There was never any quit from the Lancers, even when they trailed 78-66 with five minutes to play. Olaeta converted an and-one layup that ignited an 8-0 run, which included a Meriggioli three and Mitchell layup, to tie the game at 74-74 with 3:15 remaining.
Point Loma scored the next five points, but Olaeta hit a short jumper to make it a one-possession game, 79-76, with a minute to go. Another jump shot from Ram kept hope alive and made it 81-78 with 11 seconds left on the clock, but the Sea Lions converted their free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Although it did not end in their favor, the Lancers dominated the first half with PLNU – which was picked as the favorite in the PacWest Preseason Poll, along with Azusa Pacific.
A 7-0 run gave CBU a 15-7 lead about halfway through the first quarter. Olaeta scored two field goals in that run, while Hackson capped it with a three-pointer. The Lancers maintained their eight-point lead at the end of the first, 23-15, with Olaeta and Mitchell combining for 13 of their teams' 23 points in the opening 10 minutes.
CBU ran its lead as high as 10 in the second quarter, with a Hackson three making it a 30-20 advantage with just under six minutes to play in the half.
Point Loma cut its deficit down to just one, 36-35, with a minute remaining, but a layup from Caroline Wich and pair of free throws from Dale ended the first half with a 4-0 Lancer run that made it 40-35 at the break. The Sea Lions kept coming, though, and took their first lead of the game, 46-45, with 5:42 left in the third quarter. It started a back and forth between the teams that continued until the very end.
Meriggioli shined late in the third quarter for the Lancers, starting when she knocked down a three-pointer with 2:50 left in the period. On the next play, she drove into the paint and dished to a cutting Emily Schmidt for an easy layup. Meriggioli then took a screen from Blaysen Varnadoe that freed her up for another three with a minute left in the quarter.
