SRJC 66, Modesto Junior College 43
In their final 7:30 pm home Big 8 game, the Bear Cubs (16-2, 5-1) hosted the Pirates (7-11, 3-3) of Modesto Junior College. The Bear Cubs scored the first four points of the contest on Ashleigh Barr's assist to Ciarah Michalik on a back cut and Barr's putback. Natalie Brown got the Pirates on the scoreboard with a field goal at the 6:42 mark. Lanie Lincoln's drive and spin into a 5-foot floater was followed by another field goal by Brown. Lucca Lowenberg made both of her free throws with 4:01 on the clock. Twenty-two seconds later Alicia Rose Platt was able to dribble from the right wing around defenders to make the layup on the left side of the basket. With 2:08 left Barr's assist found a cutting Meredith Gilbertson, who banked in the shot next to the hoop. Madilynn Coelho made the Pirates' last basket of the quarter 41 seconds after that. The Bear Cubs added four more points on Gilbertson's cut to the basket and inbounds pass from Michalik, and two free throws by Sheriene Arikat, making their lead 14-8.
Hannah Parsons scored the first two points of the second quarter on a pair of free throws after just 25 seconds. The Bear Cubs scored 10 unanswered points on Lucca Lowenberg's 3-pointer, Rose Nevin's drive from the wing, Alex Ditizio's drive, and Lanie Lincoln's 3-pointer. Victoria Montes made the Pirates' only basket of the period with 3:47 on the clock. The Bear Cubs scored six more points on Lowenberg's cut and layup on a baseline inbounds play, her fast break layup, and Meredith Gilbertson's steal and layup for a 30-12 halftime advantage.
Hannah Parsons again started the scoring in the quarter with two free throws and sank a field goal over a minute later. The Bear Cubs tallied the next four points on one free throw each by Ashleigh Barr and Ciarah Michalik, and Michalik's drive down the left side. Parsons drained a 3-pointer from straight on and Coehlo a field goal with 5:41 on the clock. The Bear Cubs went on a 14-0 run, which included Ashleigh Barr's 3-pointer, Lucca Lowenberg's drive, Sheriene Arikat's drive and bank shot from five feet out, two free throws by Michalik, Alex Ditizio's 3-pointer, and Meredith Gilbertson'2-footer off the assist from Taylor Iacopi. The Pirates made two more field goals in the period, and then Ditizio's made a back cut, caught Ashleigh Barr's assist, and made the layup while being fouled. She completed the 3-point play with a successful free throw. Lanie Lincoln's layup with five seconds left gave the Bear Cubs a 53-25 lead by the end of the quarter.
The Bear Cubs made their first two shots of the fourth quarter—Sheriene Arikat's 6-foot runner and Ashleigh Barr's baseline 8-footer. The Pirates responded with one field goal each by Natalie Brown and Victoria Montes and a 3-pointer by Coehlo at the 6:23 mark. The Bear Cubs scored the next seven points beginning with breaking the Pirates' full court press and Ashleigh Barr passing to Lucca Lowenberg for the layup with 5:20 on the clock. A little over two minutes later Meredith Gilbertson was fouled on a shot inside and made both free throws, and with 2:41 left Taylor Iacopi sank a 3-pointer off the inside-out assist from Barr for a 64-32 lead. Kiley Holland drained a 3-pointer 19 seconds later. Ciarah Michalik scored the Bear Cubs' final two points on a drive with 1:36 left. The Pirates finished with an 8-0 run on back-to-back 3-pointers by Parsons and her field goal with 16 seconds remaining. The Pirates outscored the Bear Cubs 18-13 in the quarter, making the final score 66-43.
The Bear Cubs made 5 out of 14 shots (36%) in the first quarter and 7 out of 19 (37%) in the second, but their defensive pressure in the second period held the Pirates to just 4 points. In the third quarter the Bear Cubs only took 12 shots but made 8 of them (67%), including two out of four from beyond the arc, plus 5 out of 7 free throws (71%) to outscore the Pirates 23-10. The Bear Cubs committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter, limiting their shot attempts to 10, of which they made 5 (50%). Hannah Parsons, who came into the game with a team-high average of 9.8 points per game, led all scorers with 17 points.
All nine Bear Cubs scored with Lucca Lowenberg and Meredith Gilbertson leading with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Ciarah Michalik added 9 points, Alex Ditizio and Ashleigh Barr 8 each, Lanie Lincoln 7, Sheriene Arikat 6, Taylor Iacopi 3, and Rose Nevin 2. Meredith Gilbertson and Ashleigh Barr each grabbed 7 rebounds. Ashleigh Barr passed for a season-high 6 assists.