19-9, 13-4BWC
Long Beach State
15-14, 8-9BWC
Hot Second Half Lifts LBSU Past Cal Poly, 71-58, on Senior Day
3/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal Poly women's basketball team lost, 71-58, to the visiting Long Beach State 49ers on senior day in the team's final regular season game as LBSU shot 60 percent in the second half to overcome a five point halftime deficit. The loss, coupled with Pacific's win over UC Davis, earns the Mustangs the second seed at next week's Big West Conference Basketball Tournament and a bye into the semifinal round of the tournament.
Cal Poly will return to the court on Friday, March 15 against the highest remaining seed from the first two rounds of play.
With the loss the Mustangs fall to 19-10 overall and 13-5 in Big West games while LBSU improves to 16-14 overall and 9-9 in conference games.
Senior Nikol Allison and sophomore Ariana Elegado each scored 13 points to lead the team. Senior Caroline Reeves added 12 points in the loss. Senior Kayla Griffin and Allison each had nine rebounds to lead the team.
Devin Hudson led LBSU with 22 points and 20 rebounds while Alex Sanchez added 16 points. Lauren Spargo came off the bench to add 12 points.
Long Beach State shot 53 percent from the floor for the game, but it was the second half when they got hot, hitting 15 of 25 shots (60 percent). Cal Poly shot 43 percent in the first half, but shot only 26 percent in the second half and ended up shooting 34 percent for the game.
LBSU held a one rebound advantage (39-38)while the Mustangs turned the ball over four less times (16-12).
Three minutes into the game the Mustangs held a three point lead, 11-8, on a three-pointer by Elegado. At the midway point the Mustangs held a six point lead, 20-14, when Allison converted one of two free throws.
Cal Poly held its largest lead of the half, seven points, on a three by Elegado with 4:12 on the clock. The Mustangs settled for a five point lead, 32-27, at the break.
LBSU opened the second half on an 8-1 run to take a 35-33 lead with 15:30 left in the game. The Mustangs fought back to take a three point lead on a traditional three point play by Allison with 14:40 on the clock.
LBSU then used a 10-3 run over the next four minutes to take a 45-41 lead they would not relinquish.
With 5:24 left in the game, LBSU made it a 10 point lead, 59-49, with the Mustangs cutting the lead to six with 3:38 on the clock, but the team would get no closer with the 49ers making their free throws down the stretch.
Prior to the start of the game, Cal Poly honored the team's five seniors who played there last game at Mott Athletics Center; Kayla Griffin, Nikol Allison, Caroline Reeves, Ashley Cascio and Brittany Woodard.
