WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HOLDS ON AGAINST LONG BEACH STATE, 74-67

11/19/2011

Alle Moreno caught fire at the right, scoring eight points down the stretch in a win over LBSU.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Alle Moreno scored eight points in the final three minutes to push the Sacramento State women's basketball team past Long Beach State, 74-67, on Saturday night in a non-conference game at The Nest.

The Hornets (1-3) had four players in double figures while the 49ers (1-2) dropped thier second straight after beating Utah Valley in their season opener.

Sacramento State had a five-point lead at halftime after closing the opening period on an 18-10 run but Long Beach State battled back and led by as much as three in the second half. 

With 5:17 left in the game the score was knotted up at 59-59 but the Hornets went on a 9-2 run over the next 2:49 to take a seven point lead and held on over the last two minutes for their first win of the season.

Key down the stretch was Moreno. The Lodi, Calif., native was 0-13 from the field, including 0-12 from 3-point range, but never wavered. Moreno hit back-to-back 3-pointers and used a pump fake on the outside to blow past a defender for a dagger lay-up to put the Hornets up eight points with just 1:18 left in the game. The teams exchanged free throws after that but it was Moreno that iced the game with her eight point outburst.

Moreno finished with 11 points and a team-high seven assists. The sophomore has scored in double figures in three straight games.

Kylie Kuhns had a team-high 18 points and 16 rebounds for her third double-double in four games. Sadie Clements had 15 points and Emily Christensen tallied 14 points including four 3-pointers.

Alex Sanchez paced the 49ers with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Tipesa Moorer had 12 points.

Sacramento State shot 29.8 percent overall on 25-of-84 shooting, including 9-of-34 from 3-point range. The Hornets snagged 57 rebounds, committed 26 turnovers and had 21 assists. They went 15-of-24 at the free throw line.

Long Beach State shot 34.9 percent from the field on 22-of-63 shooting, with 4-of-20 coming from beyond the arc. The 49ers grabbed 54 rebounds, were pressured into 35 turnovers and had 12 assists. They went 19-of-25 at the free throw line.

Sacramento State hosts both Southern Illinois - Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois this week at The Nest. The Hornets and Cougars meet at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday and play the Panthers at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday.