UC Riverside freshman Kemie Nkele scored a game-high 26 points, including
a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line, to lead a depleted Highlanders
squad to a 67-59 victory over host Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night
at Titan Gym.
The Titans fell to 3-15 overall and 2-8 in the Big West. UCR improved
to 10-8 overall, 6-4 in league play. In the last seven meetings, four
of those have been decided by eight points or less.
Nkele also grabbed nine boards and hit on 7-of-13 from the field for Riverside,
which suited up only eight players on the night – six of whom saw
action. She was joined in double-figures off the bench by Holly Peterson,
who had 10 points.
Junior Andrea Adams led the Titans with 19 points and was joined in double
figures by Charlee Underwood (12) and Sandra Woloschuk, who had a career-high
10 points.
Fullerton led by as many as eight points in the opening period before
a 13-4 run gave UCR its first lead since the opening moments of the game.
A jumper by Amber Pruitt gave the Titans a one-point lead at 23-22 with
3:30 remaining, but back-to-back jumpers by Casandra Reeves and Peterson
gave the Highlanders a three-point advantage with :27 left and UCR took
a 26-24 lead into the lockerroom at halftime.
The Titans kept it close to open the second period, staying within four
points for the first five minutes, eventually closing to within one point
on two occasions – the last coming at 38-37 with 13:21 remaining.
However, Jodi Reber capped a 9-2 run by the Highlanders with a jumper
at the 10:01 mark to give UCR an eight-point lead and the Highlanders
never looked back.
Riverside hit 6-of-6 from the line down the stretch to offset a bucket
and three-pointer by Adams to quash any Fullerton comeback and ice the
victory.
Fullerton shot 40 percent from the floor, but UCR was bolstered by shooting
a blistering 11-of-22 from the floor in the second half. The Highlanders
outrebounded the Titans, 37-34 for the game, and hit on 24-of-28 from
the free throw line (compared to just 6-of-10 for Fullerton).
The Titans return to action with a trifecta of home games next week, kicking
off on Monday (Feb. 7) with a non-conference contest against UC Davis
at 7 p.m.
