Pacific’s Gillian d’Hondt and Selena Ho each scored a game-high
17 points to help lead the visiting Tigers to a, 63-52, Big West Conference
women’s basketball victory on Saturday night at Titan Gym in front
of 189 fans.
Cal State Fullerton fell to 3-15 overall and 1-6 in the Big West, while
Pacific improved to 10-7 overall and 5-1 in league play.
The Titans were led by junior forward Allyson Alhadeff, who was making
her second consecutive start. She set a new career high with 12 points
(eclipsing her previous career-best of 11 points set on Thursday in the
win over Cal State Northridge), including two three pointers and 4-for-6
from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Tamara Quinn had 11 points and
four rebounds off the bench for Fullerton.
Both teams shot 41 percent from the floor, but the advantage went to the
Tigers, who took 27 more shots than the Titans (66-39) and made 11 more
field goals (27-16). Pacific also took advantage of 27 Cal State Fullerton
turnovers, notching 14 steals on the night and outrebounding the Titans,
37-31.
Pacific took the early lead and the two teams traded baskets before Cal
State Fullerton’s offense kicked things into high gear. The Titans
grabbed the lead on a three-pointer by Alhadeff and led by as many as
six points at 17-11 on a bucket by freshman Meghann Keathley with 10:08
remaining in the game.
The Tigers’ offense then turned the tables, going on a 10-0 run over
the next 4:28 to grab a 21-17 lead with 5:40 left in the period. Cal State
Fullerton would get back to within one point on a pair of free throws
by Rochelle Ortega, but that would be as close as the Titans would come
for the rest of the contest as Pacific went into the lockerroom with a,
34-28, lead at the break.
The second half was all Tigers as they scored six of the first eight points
and did not let the Titans come closer than five points with just over
11 minutes remaining. Pacific outshot Cal State Fullerton .419 to .333
in the second half.
The Titans return to action next weekend when they hit the road to take
on local rivals Long Beach State on Friday (Feb. 1) and UC Irvine on Sunday
(Feb. 3). The game against the 49ers will tip off at 7:30 p.m. while the
contest with the Anteaters will begin at Noon.
