Not only did Jessica Fontenette become CSUMB’s career steals leader Saturday night, she also led the Otter offense with 12 points in the 59-49 win over Humboldt State.
BOX SCORE
SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team continued to search for its early-season shooting touch Saturday night, but its defense and rebounding proved more than enough to earn a 59–49 win over visiting Humboldt State in The Kelp Bed.
CSUMB (7-3, 4-3 CCAA) struggled once again from long range, converting just 3-of-18 from beyond the arc. But the stingy Otter defense held an opponent under 50 points in regulation for the fifth time in 10 games while compiling a dominating 49-33 advantage on the glass.
“I'm really proud of our team's resilience,” said CSUMB Head Coach
Renee Jimenez. “We talked today about how great our defense has been and how, if we hit a few shots, we could easily be 10-0.
“I think teams know how dangerous we are when we are knocking down shots. But until we can get some consistency from the perimeter, we need to be ready to fight for every win.”
Senior guard
Jessica Fontenette (Chino Hills/Bishop Amat) led CSUMB on both ends of the floor. Her big highlight featured both her offense and her defense when her coast-to-cast steal and layup with 3:49 remaining in the first half gave her the CSUMB career steals record. She added two more steals before it was over to push her record to 135.
“I'm really happy for Jess and breaking the steals record,” said Jimenez. “The fact that it's a defensive record really shows how much Jess has been the backbone of who and we are as a program.”
Fontenette also led the first half surge that gave the Otters an 11-point lead, 32-21, at the break, finishing the half with 10 of her team-leading 12 points. The Lumberjacks never got closer than six points in the second half.
Sophomore guard
Nikki Beckman (Dublin/Ohlone College) quarterbacked the Otter attack with a season-high eight assists. CSUMB also got a season-high nine rebounds from junior forward
Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS).
Senior forward Lisa Petty led Humboldt (7-7, 3-5) with 13 points and nine rebounds.
CSUMB continues its four-game homestand Friday evening when it hosts defending CCAA champion UC San Diego at 5:30 p.m.
GO OTTERS!
