BOX SCORE


MONTEREY, Calif. — There's no place like, well, close to home for the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team. A shattered backboard in The Kelp Bed forced Tuesday's CCAA basketball game with Cal State East Bay to move to The Lobo Den on the campus of Monterey Peninsula College.

The change of venue didn't change the expected outcome as the Otters secured a first round home date in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament with a 68-57 win.

CSUMB (17-5, 14-4 CCAA) won with a balanced effort as five Otters scored in double figures, led by Stefanie Corgel (Manhattan Beach/UCSB) and Shonetta Crain-Williams (Oakland/El Cerrito HS) with 12 points each.

Brandi Stephens (Sacramento/El Camino HS) added 11 points while Brittani Jefferson (Palmdale/Quartz Hill HS) and Britnee Lewis (Antioch/Pittsburg HS) chipped 10 apiece.

East Bay (10-14, 7-11), which is a potential first round opponent for CSUMB, kept the game close for much of the first half. The Otters led by just two with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half when a Crain-Williams layup ignited a 16-0 run that turned a 23-21 lead into a 39-21 advantage that wouldn't be threatened.

CSUMB led 41-23 at halftime and got to within single digits of the lead in the second half.

In addition to the five double figure scorers, sophomore wing Jenna Bandy (Thousand Oaks HS) led the Otters with seven rebounds--one off her career best--while senior guard Erika Ward (Simi Valley/Ventura JC/Royal HS) added three assists and three steals.

Cassie Coble led East Bay with 12 points while Marlene MacMillan grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

CSUMB returns to action Friday in The Kelp Bed when it hosts No. 1 ranked UC San Diego for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. The Otters will play their final regular season home game Saturday against Cal State San Bernardino.

The home CCAA Tournament game will take place Tuesday, Feb. 28 against an opponent to be determined.