Junior Dolores Olivarez |
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Casandra Reeves led all scorers with 17 points as UC Riverside overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to defeat Sacramento State, 65-56, in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Student Recreation Center.The Hornets, who dropped to 0-7 on the season, opened the second half by going on a 21-9 run to take 47-34 lead at the 11:25 mark. UC Riverside, however, responded by outscoring the Hornets, 31-9, the rest of the way. Reeves hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to 47-42 with 10:05 to play. The Highlanders then went on a 15-5 run over the next five minutes to take a 57-52 lead with 5:33 to play.
Sacramento State closed to within three points (59-56) of the Highlander lead on a Sarah Craig lay-up with 2:41 to play. The Hornets would not score again for the remainder of the contest.
UC Riverside, which shot 48.0 percent from the floor (24-50) and converted on nine more free throws than the Hornets (14-5), improved to 1-5 with the victory. The Highlanders also forced the Hornets into 24 turnovers, including 13 in the second half. LaKeima Stephens (14 points) and Crystal Harris (12 points) rounded out the Highlanders with double-figure points.
Sacramento State tallied team season highs in points (56), field goals (24), field goal percentage (.453, 24-53) and assists (14). The Hornets, however, went just 5-of-11 from the free-throw line (45.0 percent) and 3-of-15 from beyond the three-point line (20.0 percent).
The Hornets were led by freshman Sarah Craig and junior Dolores Olivarez, who each scored 13 points. Junior Danielle Iceman added 10 points to round out the Hornets in double figures. Craig, who has now led or tied for the team lead in scoring in four of five games this season, also finished with a game-high nine rebounds. Olivarez and Iceman both finished 5-of-7 from the field while the rest of the team combined to shoot 35.9 percent (14-39).
Five different Hornets all played at least 33 minutes including freshman Katelyn Ciampi (36), Craig (35), junior Sydney Gatson (35), junior Diane Peterson (34) and Olivarez (33).
Sacramento State returns to action next Saturday, Dec. 21, as it welcomes Notre Dame de Namur into Hornet Gym at 5 p.m. The game is part of a scheduled doubleheader as the men’s team hosts Cal State Fullerton at 7:35 p.m.
