Morgan Pryor and
Lisa Takata sank free throws in the final minute of overtime Friday night to give Cal State San Bernardino's women's basketball team a 46-43 CCAA conference victory over Cal State Stanislaus.
The two teams finished regulation tied at 41-all in a game where the shooters were as cold as the inside of Coussoulis Arena. The Coyotes shot 22 percent from the field while the Warriors shot 20.8 percent for the night.
The victory improved the Coyotes to 3-0 in the CCAA and 5-4 overall while the Warriors are 1-2 in the CCAA and 6-4 overall.
Katie Busi of Cal State Stanislaus was the only player in double figures with 10 points and she posted a double-double with 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. Gwengolyn Page pulled down 14 rebounds for the Warriors.
Krystal Urzua had a team-high eight points and a season high 10 rebounds for the Coyotes alonhg with five assists and four steals while
Jaclyn Rainville had seven points and 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.
CSUSB hosts defending CCAA champion Chico State at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Apparently the two-week layoff for the holidays and the cold temperature inside the arena was a factor in the horrific shooting by both teams. The teams were a combined 26 for 121 (21.4 percent) in the game from the field and even worse (six of 37) from the three point line. The Coyotes made 63 percent of their free throws (12 of 19) while Stanislaus hit 70 percent from the line (19 of 27).
The two teams combined for 39 turnovers, 21 by Stanislaus. Rebounds were even at 52 apiece.
San Bernardino started out as if it was going to blow out the Warriors, leading 14-2 on a jumper by
Artaisha Waters with 12:14 left in the first half, but Stanislaus began pecking away and outscored CSUSB 17-5 to tie the game at 19-all with 4:01 left in the half on a layup by Busi.
Antwinette Turner put the Warriors up by a point at the half by sinking a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left to make the score 21-20 Stanislaus at intermission.
The Coyotes pulled ahead 41-35 with 4:34 left in regulation on a three-pointer by Urzua but didn't make a single point the rest of the second half as Stanislaus rallied to tie the game at 41 on two free throws by Busi. Both teams had shots in the final 1:21 but missed to send the game into overtime.
CSUSB won despite not making a single field goal in overtime. The Coyotes got all five points from free throws by
Aubrey Duran (2), Takata (2) and Pryor (1). Jeanette Rowe scored on a layup for the Warriors with one minute left to tie the game at 43-all but after Takata and Pryor made their foul shots the Warriors could not make a bucket despite attempts by Page and Busi in the final seconds.
It was a miracle that CSUSB held on, considering Urzua was just three of 15 from the field, Rainville was just three of 13 and Pryor was two for 12 with four turnovers. Pryor did contribute eight points and six rebounds.
