1-1
Loyola Marymount
0-3
Big First Half Lifts Cal Poly to 87-79 Road Win Over Loyola Marymount
11/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES — Beth Balbierz matched her career high by halftime with a perfect 6-for-6 shooting display to boost the Cal Poly women's basketball team to a 45-25 lead over Loyola Marymount, and Ariana Elegado nearly put together a triple double as the Mustangs ultimately held on for an 87-79 win in Gersten Pavilion on Friday night.
The Mustangs scored the game's first six points and didn't look back from there, going up 33-14 after a 12-0 run.
Balbierz, a junior shooting guard, made all four of her 3-point tries before the break, and the Mustangs outscored the Lions 23-3 off the bench by then. The third trey gave Cal Poly (1-1) its largest lead, 22, at 38-16 with 4:11 remaining.
After LMU made a run to open the second half, the Mustangs went back up by 20 thanks to a 7-0 surge that was capped by back-to-back layups just 16 seconds apart by Balbierz and junior point guard Lisa Marie Sanchez (the latter of which was set up by a steal and dish by Elegado off the inbound).
The Lions stayed within striking distance late in large part thanks to taking 24 second-half free throws (making 20).
After they pulled to within 77-74, senior guard Kristen Ale drew a foul on a 3-pointer and proceeded to knock down all three free throws to re-establish a six-point margin at the 1:23 mark.
Elegado, who was 9 for 9 from the foul line, never came out of the game, finishing with 21 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore center Hannah Gilbert also scored a career-high 14 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) and grabbed five boards.
Balbierz ended 8 for 9 from the floor, for 21 points.
Cal Poly will host its home opener in Mott Athletics Center at 1 p.m. Sunday against Portland.
Photos © 2014 David E. Holmes
