March 11, 2010

Box Score

POMONA, Calif. - The No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team posted a 69-58 victory over No. 13 Dixie State in the opening game of the NCAA West Regional Tournament at Kellogg gym on Cal Poly Pomona campus.

The Otters improved to 27-3 overall while Dixie State concluded its season with a 24-4 record.

Junior forward #Shonetta Crain-Williams# had her best showing of the season, recording her first double-double with career-highs 18 points and 14 rebounds. Senior center #Julie Heurung# scored 13 points and sophomore forward #Holly Holcomb# grabbed 12 rebounds. On top of her 12 points, sophomore guard #Jessica Fontenette# finished with a career-best five steal.

CSUMB never trailed in the game, taking a 15-point cushion on a jumper by senior #Michelle Santizo# with 8:25 remaining. \

A 13-4 run cut the gap to 57-53 with four and half minutes left. Crain-Williams scored on a second-chance basket to give CSUMB a 59-53 lead into the final media time out.

After a basket at the charity stripe by Dixie State's Sheila Adams, Fontenette drove the lane for an uncontested layup, 61-54.

The Otters made seven free-throws in the final three minutes to clinch their first NCAA post-season victory.

CSUMB matched a season-high 11 steals while out-rebounding the Red Storm 46-28 with 19 boards on the offensive side.

Dixie State was led by sophomore Johnna Brown's 19 points and nine rebounds.  Seniors Breann Hill and Erica Carlson finished their collegiate careers with 10 and seven points respectively.

The Otters will face the Grand Canyon-Seattle Pacific winner on Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m.