SEATTLE - California Baptist University women's basketball came into Friday's game with eyes on finishing out the regular season with a perfect record, but the Redhawks looked to spoil those plans. Seattle U put a scare into the Lancers, as they kept it close late into the game, but CBU got defensive stops when they were needed most and held on for the 66-64 victory.
The Lancers' record improves to 21-0 overall and 13-0 in conference with just one game left to play. If the Lancers finish the regular season undefeated, they will be the first to do so in women's college basketball since Mississippi State and UConn did it in 2017-18. Only 23 teams have gone undefeated in the regular season since 1982, the year that the NCAA began overseeing and coordinating the postseason NCAA Tournament. CBU is looking to become No. 24 on the undefeated list. Of the 23 teams with the accomplishment, UConn has done so 10 times. Additionally, should the Lancers complete their regular season run on Saturday, they will become the first Western Athletic Conference team to complete an undefeated regular season, and be only the sixth to complete a perfect conference schedule.
The Lancers led nearly the whole way, building as much as a 12-point lead late in the second and 11 late in the third. However, the Redhawks would use an 11-4 run midway through the fourth quarter to climb back into the game and eventually pull within one point with under 30 seconds to play.
Brittany Klaman and
Ane Olaeta would each sink a pair of free throws in the waning seconds, and Olaeta would collect her fourth steal of the game with 17 seconds left to quell the Redhawks' push.
Britney Thomas led all players with 22 points and 14 rebounds on 9-11 shooting (81.8%) which only improves her season field goal percentage which ranked second in the nation coming into the game at 66.0.
Klaman had a big night off the bench, scoring a season-high 17 points with six rebounds a block and a steal.
Caitlyn Harper was the last Lancer in double-figures with 12 points to go with six rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
The Lancers overcame an uncharacteristically poor shooting game, firing at a season-low 35.5% clip on Friday. They did so by forcing Seattle to shoot a significantly lower 29.1%.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lancers close out the regular season against the same Redhawks Saturday afternoon at the same start time of 3 p.m. Live stats are available through
StatBroadcast and the game will again air on
ESPN+.
