2002-03 Season Archive
Abts receives First Team All-CCAA honor
Pietka, White, and Rice receive Second Team
(Mar. 16) WALNUT CREEK--Kim Abts, who led the Chico State team with 6.9 assist per game and averaged 13.7 points per game earned First-Team All-CCAA honors by a vote of the league coaches.
Michelle Pietka, Marissa White and Leah Rice all received Second Team honors.
Pietka led the Wildcats with 15.8 points per game, 68 three pointers, and a .821 free throw percentage, and was second in rebounding at 5.8 per game.
White led the team with 63 steals, averaged 14.3 points per game and hit 57 three pointers.
Rice was the Wildcats' leading rebounder at 9.0 per game and shot blocker at 1.2 per game, along with 11.7 points per game.
Bakersfield senior Heather Garay was named the CCAA Most Valuable Player, and Bakersfield Coach Tim La Kose was named CCAA Coach of the Year.
Tameka Blue from Dominguez Hills was named CCAA Freshman of the Year.
Wildcats fight valliantly but fall to nation's No. 1 team
(Mar. 14) SEATTLE — The Chico State women's basketball team staged a furious rally to pull within 61-56 with 8:07 to play in the game, but came up short against unbeaten Seattle Pacific University, 81-70, in the opening round of the NCAA Western Regional Basketball Tournament Friday night.
Michelle Pietka scored 24 points and Leah Rice added 21 in her final collegiate game to lead the Wildcats, whose season came to an end at 17-10.
Kelley Berglund scored 30 points and ripped down 15 rebounds for Seattle Pacific, which won its 34th straight home contest and improved to 28-0 overall.
Seattle Pacific will play fourth-seeded Montana State-Billings, which beat Central Washington 91-69, in Saturday night's second semifinal at 7 p.m.
The first semifinal at 5 p.m. will match Northwest Nazarene (20-8), which upset Western Washington 83-79 and Cal State Bakersfield (27-1), which rallied from a 10-point deficit with 5:21 left in regulation to beat Cal State Stanislaus 116-106 in overtime. Saturday's two winners advance to Monday's title game at 7 p.m.
SPU, which led 45-31 at halftime, never trailed, but saw a 16-point second-half lead shrink to five following a lay-in by Leah Rice. But, Berglund took over at that point scoring SPU's next eight points as the Falcons stretched their lead back to 11 points, 72-61, with 3:48 remaining. Chico State never got closer than nine points the remainder of the way.
Stephanie Urrutia added 16 points and eight assists for the Falcons. Kerie Hughes was also in double figures with 10 points. Hughes also had seven assists.
Kim Abts had seven points, seven rebounds, seven assists for the Wildcats.
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 81, CAL STATE CHICO 70
CAL STATE CHICO (17-10) Pietka, Michelle 8-16 6-7 24; Rice, Leah 8-12 4-4 21; Simpton, Rexanne 2-8 2-2 7; Abts, Kim 2-10 3-4 7; Juarez, Mercedes 2-6 2-2 7; Young, Delise 1-2 0-1 2; White, Marissa 0-8 2-2 2. Totals 23-62 19-22 70.
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY (28-0) Berglund, Kelley 13-24 4-4 30; Urrutia, Stephanie 4-13 7-8 16; Hughes, Kerie 4-11 2-2 10; Gustafson, Valerie 3-6 2-3 8; Lukkes, Stacie 1-1 2-2 4; Poe, Kristin 2-6 0-0 4; Wood, Mandy 1-3 0-0 3; Smith, Carli 0-1 3-4 3; Hermanson, Trisha 1-5 0-0 3; Beaumont, Michelle 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-72 20-23 81.
Cal State Chico............... 31 39 - 70
Seattle Pacific University.... 45 36 - 81
3-point goals-Cal State Chico 5-17 (Pietka, Michelle 2-5; Rice, Leah 1-1; Simpton, Rexanne 1-3; Juarez, Mercedes 1-3; White, Marissa 0-3; Young, Delise 0-1; Abts, Kim 0-1), Seattle Pacific University 3-15 (Urrutia, Stephanie 1-5; Hermanson, Trisha 1-3; Wood, Mandy 1-3; Poe, Kristin 0-1; Hughes, Kerie 0-3). Fouled out--Cal State Chico-None, Seattle Pacific University-None. Rebounds-Cal State Chico 36 (Abts, Kim 7), Seattle Pacific University 51 (Berglund, Kelley 15). Assists-Cal State Chico 18 (Abts, Kim 7), Seattle Pacific University 25 (Urrutia, Stephanie 8). Total fouls-Cal State Chico 19, Seattle Pacific University 20. A-1528 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball West Regional Game 4 Bergland's 30 points an SPU postseason record.
It's official...
Women one of 64 in hunt for D-II championship
(Mar. 9) First-year head coach Lynne DeYoung couldn't have written a better script. Not only has she guided the Chico State women's basketball team to its first appearance in the West Regional since 1996, but she also has the opportunity to lead the Wildcats into battle against the team she coached last season. The No. 8-seeded Wildcats will take on No. 1 Seattle Pacific University at 7:30 Friday night, March 14, in the first round. The game will be broadcast on AM 1290 KPAY and via the internet connection on this site. (Allow time for your computer to load Go Live if you haven't already.)
DeYoung was a player, and then the head assistant coach for Seattle Pacific for the last five seasons and was a key to bringing in many of the team's players.
It's exciting to play against the best, said DeYoung. Having been with the program at Seattle Pacific for nine years, I understand how much it says about our program to be in a playoff game against a program of SPU's caliber.
The selection committee announced the 64-team, eight-region bracket via the internet Sunday from the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, IN.
Seattle Pacific, champion of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and ranked No. 1 in the nation, is the lone undefeated Division II team remaining in the nation at 27-0. Chico State finished the regular season 17-9 and tied for second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The winner of that game will play the MSU-Billings–Central Washington winner Saturday. The regional championship game is scheduled for Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m.
The winner of each region will advance to the Elite Eight, March 26, 27, and 29 in Saint Joseph, Mo.
It's been a rollercoaster ride of a season for the Wildcats, who started out 3-0 but lost six of their next 10 games to drop to 7-6. Chico State then won five straight to improve to 12-6 and were ranked as high as No. 5 in the region before losing three of four to put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
However, the Wildcats rebounded to win their last four games to earn a spot in the postseason.
Many of the players who will be heading to Seattle were part of a program that has struggled through the diagnosis of cancer, relapse, and eventual passing of long-time Chico State head coach Mary Anne Lazzarini late last season. During that time, they had two different interim coaches and missed out on the postseason twice despite high hopes.
It's been rewarding to set forth a goal and see this team achieve it, said DeYoung. This is a group of players that has endured a ton of adversity over the last two seasons and I'm proud to coach them.
West Region :
1. Seattle Pacific University (27-0)
2. Cal State Bakersfield (26-1)
3. Western Washington University (22-5)
4. Montana State-Billings (20-6)
5. Central Washington University (17-8)
6. Northwest Nazarene (19-8)
7. Cal State Stanislaus (18-9)
8. Chico State (17-9)
First Round play:
No. 3 Western Washington vs. No. 6 Northwest Nazarene, 12:30
No. 2 Cal State Bakersfield vs. No. 7 Cal State Stanislaus, 2:30
No. 4. Montana State-Billings vs. No. 5 Central Washington, 5:30
No. 1 Seattle Pacific vs. No. 8 Chico State, 7:30
View the entire bracket (Click on 2003 Championship Selections, D-II)
Victory clinches playoff berth
(Mar. 8) Chico State wrapped up regular season with a record-setting performance and clinched their first trip to the West Regional since 1996 with a 98-73 win over Cal State L.A. The official committee selections come out on Sunday at 6:00 (PST).
If all goes as planned the Wildcats will travel to Seattle Pacific for the West Regional with games starting on March 14. What is still to be decided by the committee is which seed the Wildcats will be. Chico entered the final weekend in the No. 8 position
The 'Cats finish the regular season with a 17-9 record overall, 15-7 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats went on a three-point shooting rampage, hitting a school-record 17 in the game, including six from Kim Abts and three apiece from Michelle Pietka, Marissa White, and Kassidy Johnson. Abts finished the game with 27 points, White netted 22 and Pietka had 13 points.
Women looking good with win over Dominguez Hills
(Mar. 7) The Wildcats did what they had to do to keep their postseason situation looking good...They won. Chico State built an 11-point halftime lead and hung on to beat Cal State Dominguez Hills 71-60 on Friday in Carson.
Kim Abts led all scorers with 20 points. Cari Havens recorded her second double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Michelle Pietka finished the game with 19 points and a team-high six assists.
The Wildcats play their final regular season game tomorrow night at Cal State L.A. With Chico State currently sitting at No. 8 in the West Region poll, the Wildcats are anxiously awaiting the selection show to be held this Sunday at 6 p.m. (PST).
Women No. 8 in latest West Region Poll!
The Wildcats find themselves in the coveted eighth-spot in the final regional poll before the selections are made for the regional tournaments on Sunday. Chico State plays its final regular-season games at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday and Cal State L.A. on Saturday.
West Region
1. Seattle Pacific 25-0
2. Cal State Bakersfield 24-1
3. Western Washington 20-5
4. Montana State-Billings 20-6
5. Central Washington 15-8
6. Northwest Nazarene 17-8
7. Cal State Stanislaus 17-8
8. Chico State 15-9
9. Sonoma State 15-10
10. UC Davis 15-10
Wildcats hit century mark in win over San Diego
(Mar. 1) Chico State's Kim Abts netted a career-high 30 points, and the Wildcats scored over 100 points for the second time this season, in a 101-77 victory over UC San Diego in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game tonight in Acker Gym.
The win pushes Chico State's record to 15-9 overall, 13-7 in CCAA play, and keeps the team's playoff hopes alive. The Tritons drop to 9-16 overall, 9-11 in conference.
The Wildcats caught fire early, building a 22-point lead just 10 minutes into the game. Chico shot 69-percent in the first half and left the court with a 33-point advantage at intermission, 61-28. At one point in the second half the Wildcats were 20-for-20 from the free throw line and ended the game making 24-for-26 from the stripe.
In addition to her 30 points, 21 of which came in the first half, Abts led all players with eight assists. Marissa White scored 20 and Michelle Pietka also ended the game in double figures with 19 points. Leah Rice was the 'Cats top rebounder recording seven boards.
For the Tritons, Katie Anderson came off the bench to lead the team with 17 points. Lauren Sargent and Ali Ginn each tallied 12 points, and Margaret Johnson and Thea Bachman each had five assists.
Chico State travels to CSU Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. next weekend to wrap up the regular season.
Abts finishes wild Chico comeback with winning layup
(Feb. 28) Kim Abts drove the lane and converted a layup with seven seconds left to lift the Chico State women's basketball team to a 68-66 over Grand Canyon Friday night. The win keeps playoff hopes alive for the Wildcats, who entered the weekend ranked No. 10 in the Western Region.
Abts finished with a game-high 19 points, including five during the crucial 12-2 run over the last 2:59 that led the Wildcats to a come-from-behind win. Leah Rice sparked the run with a put back and Abts buried a 3-pointer on Chico State's next trip to cut the deficit to 64-61 with 2:24 remaining.
Michelle Pietka knotted the score 64-64 with a 3-pointer with 1:32 to play, but Grand Canyon's Lindsay Lawson scored the Antelope's only field goal of the final four minutes to give Grand Canyon a 66-64 advantage with 1:32 to play.
After Rice made one-of-two free throws, Marissa White added a free throw to tie the score 66-66 with 16 seconds remaining. White missed the second free throw, but Rice ripped down the rebound. After a Chico State timeout, Abts scored the game winner.
Rice and Pietka finished with 12 points apiece for the Wildcats, who improved to 14-9 overall and 12-7 in the CCAA. Grand Canyon (6-18, 3-16 CCAA) has now dropped 11 straight games. Leah Smith paced the Antelopes with 17 points, Lindsay Lawson finished with 16, and Lauren Westerman chipped in 12 points.
Chico State is back in action Saturday night when it finished its home season against UC San Diego at 6 p.m.
Wildcats lose...Bakersfield clinches
(Feb. 22) The Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball program clinched its first-ever California Collegiate Athletic Association title with a 92-80 victory over Chico State tonight in Acker Gym.
Bakersfield (22-1, 17-1 CCAA), ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 2 in the West Region, has now won 19 consecutive games.
With the loss, the Wildcats (13-9, 1-7 CCAA) will have their work cut out for them if they hope to stay in postseason contention.
The Roadrunners led from buzzer to buzzer, taking an 11-point halftime lead, 50-39. The closest the Wildcats could get was a nine-point deficit with 1:02 remaining.
Bakersfield's Heather Garay was impressive with 32 points, 24 in the first half, and 11 rebounds. Diane Dittburner recorded 24 points, hitting all four of the team's three-pointers. Beccie Lutes finished with 16 points and a team-high six assists.
For Chico State, Leah Rice picked up her ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Marissa White was hot early in the game, tallying 14 of her team high 21 points in the first eight minutes of the game. Michelle Pietka and Cari Haven finished in double digits, with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Kim Abts led all players with 11 assists.
Chico State closes out its home season, hosting Grand Canyon on Friday, February 28 and UC San Diego on Saturday, March 1.
Women can't find the range, fall into tie for third
(Feb. 21) With its three leading scorers – Michelle Pietka, Marissa White, and Kim Abts – combining to shoot 16 percent (6-for-37) from the floor, the Chico State women's basketball team never had much of a chance against Cal State Stanislaus in a battle for second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Friday night at Acker Gym.
The Wildcats dropped into a third-place tie with Cal State San Bernardino with the 78-67 loss.
Chico Sate trailed throughout and Shannon Donnelly finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds as the visiting Warriors improved to 15-7 overall and 12-5 in the CCAA. Alicia Coppola finished with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and Jackie Karp dished out eight assists.
Chico State fell to 13-8 overall, 11-6 in the CCAA. Leah Rice led the Wildcats with 20 points and 15 rebounds, but also committed seven of the team's 19 turnovers. Delise Young chipped in nine points off the bench and Cari Havens finished with eight. Pietka, averaging 15.9 points per game coming in, finished with eight. White, averaging 15 ppg, finished with seven. And Abts, averaging 12.7 ppg, finished with six.
As a team, the Wildcats shot 33 percent from the floor, including 21 percent from beyond the arc.
Wildcats hammer Pomona to gain weekend split
(Feb. 15) POMONA, Calif.. -- In perhaps their most important game of the season thus far, the Chico State women's basketball team responded by blowing out Cal Poly Pomona 93-73 Saturday night. It was Chico State's first ever win at Pomona and kept the Wildcats in a tie for second place in the CCAA.
The victory helped the Wildcats rebound from a 62-33 loss at San Bernardino the night before, which marked the Wildcats' fourth-lowest offensive output ever. Chico State shot just 22 percent in the contest and dished out just one assist in the loss.
Saturday night was a different story, however. Marissa White scored a season-high 25 points to lead the Wildcats, who shot 51 percent as a team. Leah Rice tallied 14 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, Mercedes Juarez came off the bench to bury 4-of-5 treys and finished with a season-best 16 points, and Michelle Pietka finished with 15 points. Kim Abts, back after missing two games due to an ankle sprain, sparked the Wildcats early and finished with nine points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Chico State's Michelle Pietka named Rawlings women's Player of the Week
(Feb. 11) WALNUT CREEK. -- Chico State guard Michelle Pietka has been named the Rawlings California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of February 3-9.
Pietka, a junior from Brea, compensated for the absence of injured point guard Kim Abts and led the Wildcats to wins over Sonoma State and San Francisco State. The victories improved Chico State to 10-4 in the CCAA, good for sole possession of 2nd place with four weeks remaining.
In a game that featured two of the CCAA’s top teams, Pietka scored 17 points, dished out 4 assists, pulled down 4 rebounds and made a steal as Chico edged Sonoma, 74-71.
Pietka torched San Francisco State for career-high-tying 29 points, 15 coming from a 5-for-7 three-point effort, as the Wildcats upended the Gators, 83-68. She added 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and a blocked shot in 34 minutes against SF State.
For the week, Pietka averaged 23 points on 50 percent shooting (13 for 26 FG, 7 for 14 3PT, 13 for 18 FT), 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2 steals per game.
2002-03 Rawlings CCAA Women’s Basketball Players of the Week - Nov. 18-24 - Kim Abts (Chico State); Nov. 25-Dec. 1 - Diane Dittburner (Cal State Bakersfield); Dec. 2-8 - Hannah Low (Cal State, San Bernardino); Dec. 9-15 - Shannon Donnelly (Cal State Stanislaus); Dec. 16-22 - Monica Tokoro (Cal State L.A.); Dec. 23-29 - Beccie Lutes (Bakersfield); Dec. 30-Jan. 5 - Tara Whiteside (Sonoma State); Jan. 6-12 - Heather Garay (Bakersfield); Jan. 13-19 - Diane Dittburner (Bakersfield); Jan. 20-26 -
Shannon Donnelly (Stanislaus); Jan 27-Feb. 2 - Sarah Allen (UC Davis); Feb. 3-9 - Michelle Pietka (Chico).
Pietka matches season-high in blowout victory
(Feb. 8) Michelle Pietka matched her season-high with 29 points and the Wildcats buried a season-high 14 3-pointers as Chico State beat San Francisco State 83-68 in Acker Gym. Pietka added nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Marissa White chipped in 22 points for the Wildcats and hit 6-of-7 from long distance. It was the fifth straight win for for Chico State, which improved to 12-6 overall and 10-4 in the CCAA.
Jennifer Kutz led San Francisco State with 21 points and eight rebounds. Renee Jiminez added 14 points and Michelle Morgan chipped in 10.
Chico State's lead was just 39-38 with 16:46 to play, but put together a 9-2 run thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Pietka to stretch their lead to 48-40. Chico State led by at least six the rest of the way.
Wildcats win again
(Feb. 1) The Chico State women’s basketball team ran its winning streak to three games with a 67-58 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest in Acker Gym.
Neither team shot well in the game. Both teams hitting just 36 percent from the floor, but Chico’s 10-point halftime lead, 29-19, was a big enough cushion for the win. The Wildcats led the entire game until the Toros tied it up 41-41 nine minute into the second half. Chico built back up the lead and held on for the win. Dominguez Hill’s got as close as five points with eight minutes remaining, but could never bridge the gap.
It was Chico State's (10-6, 8-4 CCAA) eighth-straight win over Dominguez Hills (5-11, 3-9 CCAA), and the first time this season the Wildcats have won back-to-back weekend games.
Leah Rice picked up her team-high sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kim Abts added 16 points and seven assists and Marissa White was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 15 points.
Tameka Blue led the Toros with 15 points and teammate Delaney Turner added 10 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
Wildcats hold on for win over Golden Eagles
(Jan. 31) Chico State's Michelle Pietka and Leah Rice recorded double-doubles as the Wildcats beat Cal State L.A., 93-82, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association basketball match-up in Acker Gym.
Chico (9-6, 7-4 CCAA) took the lead midway though the first half and never let up, pushing its lead to 11 points at halftime. Pietka came out strong in the second half, scoring nine of her team high 21 points in the first three minutes of the second period. She also pulled down a season high 12 rebounds in the game.
Senior center Rice recorded her fifth double-double in the month of January with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Marissa White scored 20 and Kim Abts 16 to round out the double-digit scoring for the 'Cats. Rexanne Simpton and Abts each dished out six assists in the game.
The Golden Eagles (6-10, 4-7 CCAA) cut the lead to five points with 21 seconds remaining on Monica Tokoro's three-pointer. Tokoro, coming off a huge scoring exhibition last weekend, scored 20 in the game, 18 in the second half. She also recorded 12 assists for a double-double.
Kelli Kobayashi led Cal State L.A. with 21 points. Sharonne Herbert added 16 points and Stacy Matsui 13 points and five assists.
The Wildcats host Cal State Dominguez Hills, who lost to UC Davis tonight, on Saturday at 6:00. Chico State will be looking for it's first weekend sweep of this CCAA season. Cal State L.A. travels to Davis.
Havens comes off the bench to key victory over Canyon
(Jan. 25) Cari Havens came off the bench and provided season highs with 14 points and 14 rebounds in just 20 minutes to lift the Chico State women’s basketball team to a 74-54 win against host Grand Canyon. Havens’ previous season highs were 12 points and six rebounds.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 8 in the Western Region entering the weekend, improved to 8-6 overall and 6-4 in the CCAA. They’re currently in a four-way tie for second place in the conference standings.
Kim Abts also put together a double-double for the Wildcats, posting 14 points to go along with a career-high 13 rebounds. Marissa White, Michelle Pietka, and Leah Rice each finished with 10 points.
UC San Diego stays hot to beat Chico State women
(Jan. 24) The UC San Diego women’s basketball team won its fourth game in five tries, defeating visiting Chico State 75-68 Friday night.
Chico State actually led 15-6 early in the game, but went cold the rest of the way, shooting just 36-percent.
Michelle Pietka led the Wildcats with 20 points, Leah Rice chipped in 14 points and a season-high 14 rebounds, and Kim Abts finished with 13 points and nine assists.
UC San Diego’s Ali Ginn buried two crucial 3-pointers down the stretch and finished with a game-high 21 points. Stacy Gallagher-Bolton finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Wildcats take advantage of Warrior turnovers
(Jan. 18) Michelle Pietka scored 24 points and the Wildcats took advantage of 31 Cal State Stanislaus turnovers to beat the Warriors 79-65 in Turlock.
Chico State improves to 7-5 overall, 5-3 in CCAA play. Stanislaus drops to 7-6 overall, 4-4 in conference.
Marissa White tallied 20 points for the 'Cats and Leah Rice helped out with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Kim Abts had seven assists and three steals.
The Wildcats' full-court pass defense was effective and forced many Stanislaus mistakes. In all, the Wildcats were credited with 14 steals, most of which came at half court when the Warriors tried to break the press by passing cross-court.
Chico State led 32-26 at the break. In the second half, Pietka scored 17 of her 24 points and Chico State connected on 13 of its 16 free throw attempts to pull away.
Chico had a 12-point lead midway through the second half, but the Warriors rallied back and managed to get within seven at 63-56 with 4:02 to play. Pietka answered with one of her three three-pointers and the ’Cats were off and running again.
Pietka’s two free throws with 48 ticks to play gave Chico State its largest lead at 79-63.
Wildcats suffer big loss to Roadrunners
(Jan. 17) For eight minutes, Friday night's match up between11th-ranked Cal State Bakersfield and Chico State lived up to its billing as a clash of two of the region's best teams. But Bakersfield used two big runs in the first half to blow the game open en route to a 101-71 victory at Centennial Garden.
The Roadrunners turned a four-point lead at 22-18 into a 15-point lead at
33-18 with an 11-0 run midway through the first half. CSUB then closed the
half with a 22-0 run that turned a 35-23 lead into a 57-23 lead that would
not be challenged. The 'Runners never led by fewer than 25 points in the
second half.
Forward Michelle Pietka led three Wildcats in double figures with 14
points. Kim Abts added 12 points and Marissa White scored 10.
Late 22-0 run gives Chico State women victory
(Jan. 11) Trailing 50-34 with 10:28 to play, it looked as if the Chico State women's basketball team was in for its second disappointing loss in as many nights. However, a 22-0 run solved that problem.
The Wildcats erased the deficit and took a 56-50 lead on Mercedes Juarez's run-capping 3-pointer and held on for a 60-57 victory Saturday night against Cal State San Bernardino.
Chico State's Marissa White led all scorers with 16 points. Michelle Pietka and Leah Rice added 12 points apice, and Kim Abts finished with 10 points and eight assists.
Leilani Tirona led San Bernardino with 13 points, while Kamesha Bell contributed 13 rebounds and nine points.
With the win, the Wildcats improved to 6-4 overall, and more importantly, 4-2 in the CCAA. They're now tied with Cal State Stanislaus for second place and trail conference-leading Cal State Bakersfield by one game. Ironically, the Wildcats take to the road next weekend to face Bakersfield Friday night and Stanislaus Saturday.
Cal State San Bernardino fell to 7-4 overall and 3-3 in the CCAA. The Coyotes entered the weekend ranked No. 7 in the West Region.
For much of Saturday's game the Wildcats looked nothing like CCAA-championship contenders. A 14-plus minute first-half drought without a field goal led to a 29-19 deficit. San Bernardino pushed its lead to 32-19 on Leilani Tirona's free throw with 17:22 to play. The Wildcats fought back to cut the lead to 34-30 on Michelle Pietka's 3-pointer and it looked as if Chico State was back in the game.
The Coyotes quickly reclaimed dominance however, using a 16-4 run to stretch their lead to the biggest of the game, 50-34. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, they would not score again for more than 10 minutes.
The Wildcats took the lead for good when White's jumper found the bottom of the net with 4:53 to play, giving them a 51-50 lead. Two free throws by Kim Abts and Juarez's 3-pointer stretched the lead to 56-50 before Lorna Clemons finally broke San Bernardino's drought with a pair of free throws with 2:20 to play.
The Coyotes cut the lead all the way to 58-57 on Angela Garrett's free throws with nine seconds remaining, but the Coyotes turned it over with six seconds to play and Garrett missed a layup at the buzzer with her team trailing 60-57.
Chico State women can't hold late lead, fall to Pomona
(Jan. 10) After taking a 62-61 lead on Rexanne Simpton's jumper with 1:35 to play, the Chico State women's basketball team never scored again, allowing Cal Poly Pomona to hand them their first home loss of the season, 66-62.
Pomona, the two-time defending national champions, stumbled out of the gates and entered Friday night's contest just 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the CCAA. However, the Broncos played like champions down the stretch. Alicia Hernandez, who led all scorers with 22 points, buried two free throws with four seconds remaining to put the game away.
Pomona, which led for most of the game, took the lead for good on Kristal Jones' free throws with 1:08 remaining. After a turnover and a missed jumper by Chico State, Anna James made one-of-two free throws to stretch Pomona's lead to 64-62 with 22 seconds to play.
The Wildcats missed a chance to tie when Marissa White's jumper rimmed out with nine seconds to play, and Hernandez's free throws sealed the deal.
Joining Hernandez in double-figures for the Broncos (4-6, 2-3 CCAA) were James with 14 points and Brandi Fletcher with 11.
Michelle Pietka led Chico State (5-4, 3-2 CCAA) with 20 points and White added 13. Leah Rice just missed her third straight double-double by finishing with 10 rebounds and eight points, but she, like the rest of the team, struggled with her shot, hitting just 3-of-10 from the floor. As a team, the Wildcats shot just 37-percent.
Chico State hosts Cal State San Bernardino Saturday night at 6 p.m. Cal Poly Pomona will travel to face UC Davis.
Sonoma State spoils Chico’s bid for perfection
(Jan. 4) Chico State led for the better part of 38 minutes, but it took Sonoma State only two minutes to earn a home victory on Saturday night.
Down by six with a little over two minutes left in regulation, Sonoma went on a 9-0 run to put a dent in Chico’s 3-0 conference record. Sonoma sophomore Tara Whiteside scored eight of those nine points in leading the comeback. Whiteside finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Jessica Jones chipped in with 13 points and five rebounds. With the 68-65 win, the Seawolves improve to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the CCAA.
Chico center Leah Rice earned a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Marissa White had 16 points, going 4-for-9 from three-point range.
The Wildcats fall to 5-3, 3-1 on the season and return home this weekend against Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 10 and Cal State San Bernardino on Jan. 11.
Chico State remains undefeated in conference play
(Jan. 3) Chico State established a 15-point halftime lead and never looked back, cruising to a 78-51 win over San Francisco State on the road Friday night.
The Wildcats improved their record to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
The damage was done collectively by Chico, with five players scoring in double figures. Guard Marissa White led the team with 16 points and seven assists. Center Leah Rice earned a double-double, scoring13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Rice also blocked three Gator shots. Delise Young came off the bench to score 10 points in only 12 minutes of play.
San Francisco was lead by forward Chrissy Ridenour, who netted 12 points. The Gators fell to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in the CCAA.
Wildcats lose one in Idaho
(Dec. 30) Northwest Nazarene University used a balanced scoring attack to post a 90-78 victory over the Chico State Wildcats Monday night at Montgomery Fieldhouse.
NNU (7-2) lead by as many as nine in the first half, however, Chico State (4-2) rallied to close the lead to one with 3:42 left in the first half. NNU would take a 42-40 lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the second half, NNU took control early as they went on an 8-0 run to open the period and lead 48-40. NNU maintained the lead the rest of the way, with Chico getting no closer than four points the rest of the night.
Chico State was led by Michelle Pietka, who scored a game-high 25 points for the Wildcats. Kim Abts posted the games only double-double as she scored 14 points and handed out 10 assists for the Wildcats.
Women's basketball beats UC Davis again
(Dec. 21) Kim Abts scored a game-high 22 points and Chico State erased a 15-point halftime deficit with a 17-2 run to start the second half as the Wildcats came from behind to defeat UC Davis, 79-74, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball game Saturday evening in front of 493 at Recreation Hall.
The Wildcats improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in conference action. With the loss, the Aggies fell to 3-3 on the season overall and 0-2 in CCAA play. UC Davis held a one-point lead at 65-64, with 6:33 to play. Chico answered right back as it took the lead for good with a three-pointer by Mercedes Juarez. The lead would grow to seven before UC Davis cut it to two with 2:33 left. They would get no closer, three Wildcat free throws down the stretch sealed the win.
UC Davis shot just 21 percent from the field in the second half, hitting just seven of 34 attempts, including two of 12 from long range. Chico, on the other hand, shot 44 percent from three-point range, including five in the early second half run to get them back in the contest.
The game was interrupted by a 38-minute delay prior to the start of the second half due to a scoreboard malfunction.
Following a seesaw game for the first five minutes, the Aggies put together a 15-4 run, culminating with a Jennifer Decuir three-pointer that gave UC Davis a 26-14 lead midway through the first half. The lead would grow to as much as 16 at the 8:16 mark before Chico went on a mini-run of its own to cut the lead to nine.
Chico guard Marissa White, who scored a game-high 24 points in the first meeting on December 7, came out strong to start the game as she scored the first 12 Wildcat points. She would finish the half with 14 points, but late in the period picked up her third foul. With a nine-point lead at the 4:00 mark, UC Davis closed out the half on a 7-1 run as Kim Smith drained a three-point with :02 left to give the Aggies a 15-point margin at halftime.
Abts finished with 22 points, seven assists and four steals while White and Michelle Pietka added 17 points each.
Wildcats lose first game
(Dec. 14) The Humboldt State team hit two three pointers in the final 36 seconds to lift the Lumberjacks over the Wildcats, 82-79 in women's basketball action Saturday night in Arcata.
The Wildcats, who lost for the first time this season, fall to 3-1. Humboldt improved to 3-5 overall and avenged an earlier loss to Chico State at the Coslet Classic.
Marissa White heated it for the Wildcats in the first half, scoring 17 of her points in the opening period. As a team, the Wildcats shot a blistering 53 percent in the period, including 57 percent from from beyond the three-point arc.
After the Wildcats pushed their lead to 13 points, Humboldt State managed to pull within nine again with just over a minute remaining in the first half. Chico settled for a 10-point halftime lead, 45-35.
The second half would not fair well for Chico State. Humboldt went on a 24-5 scoring run in the first seven minutes of the second period to turn the tables on the 'Cats and gain a nine-point lead.
Chico battled back to tie the game 63-63 with six minutes remaining, but the Lumberjacks built another six-point lead before the 'Cats would tie it again and take the lead with 1:30 remaining. But it was Humboldt's night, as Laura Berreth hit a three with with 36 second remaining to regain the lead. White tied up the game, for the sixth time, with a layup, but Humboldt's Peni Vaefaga drained another three with 11 seconds on the clock.
White paced Chico State with 24, while Michelle Pietka added 17 and Delise Young 12.
Chico State signs two for 2003-04 season
(Dec. 9) It's never too early to plan ahead. With her inaugural season underway as head coach of the Chico State Wildcats, Lynne DeYoung is already piecing together her 2003-04 squad. During the early signing period, Durham High School (Durham, Calif.) forward Shanae Brines and Shorecrest High School (Seattle, Wash.) guard Haley Martin have signed National Letters of Intent to play for Chico State next season.
Brines, a 6-foot-1 forward is a four-year varsity basketball and volleyball letterwinner. Currently finishing out her senior year, she earned Sacramento Valley League Honorable Mention her freshman year and 1st Team honors her sophomore and junior years. While averaging 15.4 ppg, 11 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 2002, she was named to the 2002 USA Junior Nationals All-American 1st Team. Her career game-highs are 31 points, 20 rebounds, and nine blocks.
I am excited to get such a talented athlete like Shanae, who also happens to be a Chico area native, DeYoung said. Her natural athleticism, strong desire to win and competitiveness will be a great addition to our program.
The 5-foot-7 Martin lit up the state of Washington in her junior season, averaging 16.2 ppg, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.8 steals from her guard position. She earned First Team All-Wesco 4A accolades, the highest classification in Washington state. She was the leading scorer in the Wesco league and has excelled in the classroom as well. With a 3.961 GPA, she is a member of the National Honor Society and is sure to dazzle the Northwest once again in her senior campaign.
Haley is extremely athletic and has a knack for scoring, DeYoung said. She also brings a competitive spirit and passion for basketball that will be a positive for our program.
White's 3-pointer sinks UC Davis
(Dec. 7) Marissa White hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds to play and finished with a team-high 24 points as the Chico State women’s basketball team beat UC Davis 88-85 Saturday night in Acker Gym. It was the California Collegiate Athletic Association opener for both teams tonight in Acker Gym.
In a game in which neither team led by more than six points in the second half, Leah Rice drained a free throw to tie up the game for the seventh time, 80-80, with 1:15 remaining and hit the second one for the one-point lead. Davis answered back on Sarah Allen’s jumper, but White’s 3-pointer put the ‘Cats back up by two with 40 seconds left. Chico State hit four free throws in the final 25 seconds for a comfortable five-point lead with 11 seconds on the clock.
Kim Abts finished the game one rebound shy of a triple double with 13 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds as the Wildcats improved to 3-0 on the season. Michelle Pietka added 19 points to go with her team-high nine rebounds and Delise Young also finished in double digits with 10 points.
UC Davis (1-2, 0-1 CCAA), was led by Allen’s 29 points. She was also 11-of-14 from the free throw line. In all, the Aggies hit 21-of-29 from the free throw line. Chico State hit on 10-of-12 from the charity stripe Jennifer Decuir tallied 21 and Kimberly Smith finished with 11 points for the Aggies. Colleen Turnbull led all players with 15 rebounds.
Davis, which led 39-38 at halftime, went to the charity stripe 15 times in the first half, compared to just two times for the Wildcats. However, the changed hands five times after intermission before Pietka’s 3-pointer made it 66-60 Chico with 11:29 to play.
Davis answered with an 11-0 run, sparked by Kimberly Smith’s 3-pointer. However, White nailed a 3-pointer to end a 4-plus minute scoreless drought, and Delise Young added another 3-pointer to give the Wildcats a 72-71 lead. Chico State could not stretch it out, however, and Davis actually led two more times before White’s clutch 3-pointer.
The Wildcats have now beaten UC Davis three of the last four times.
Kim Abts named Rawlings CCAA Player of the Week
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Chico State guard Kim Abts has been named the Rawlings California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 18-24.
Abts, a sophomore from Redding, earned Most Valuable Player honors for the Chico State Coslet Classic after averaging 15.5 points on 68 percent shooting (11 for 16) and 11 assists to lead the Wildcats to wins over Southern Oregon and Humboldt State.
In a 103-81 title game win over Humboldt, Abts scored 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting and dished out 13 assists, one shy of the school record. It was the first time since 1997 that Chico had scored 100 points. Abts tallied 5 points and 9 assists to lead the Wildcats to an 83-74 win over Southern Oregon on the first night of the tournament. She finished the week with a assist-to-turnover ratio of 3-to-1.
Wildcats beat Humboldt State to claim Coslet Classic title
(Nov. 23) For the first time since 1997, the Chico State women's basketball team went over the century mark, beating Humboldt State 103-81 in the process, to claim the title of the 30th-Annual Coslet Classic. Chico State scored 103 points against Southern Oregon University in 1997.
Kim Abts led the way with 26 points and finished one assist shy of the school record with 13 assists as the Wildcats improved to 2-0 on the season under first-year head coach Lynne DeYoung. For her efforts, Abts was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Abts shot 10-of-13 from the field and the Wildcats buried 54-percent of their shots as five players scored in double-figures. Delise Young finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, Michelle Pietka poured in 13, Marissa White added 12, and Mercedes Juarez came off the bench to chip in 11.
Humboldt State dipped to 1-1 despite Nicole Lynch's game-high 28 points and eight rebounds. Jackie Kolesar and Peni Vaefaga chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The game was tight throughout the first half as the lead changed hands seven times. Humboldt State actually led for much of the time, however, and took its biggest lead, 16-10, on Emily Watson's layup with 13:45 to play in the first half. The Wildcats slowly cut away at the lead, however, and took their first lead, 25-23, on Juarez's 3-pointer with 9:57 to play before intermission. A few minutes later, the Wildcats took the lead for good.
After Humboldt State went ahead 34-33 on Lynch's jumper with 4:35 to play before the half, the Wildcats went on a 13-4 run to close out the half. Pietka and Young had six points apiece to key the run.
In the second half it was all Wildcats, as Abts started the half with a layup and Pietka buried a 3-pointer to make it 51-38 Chico State. The lead remained in double-figures, growing as large as 28 twice.
Joining Abts on the All-Tournament team were teammate Leah Rice, Humboldt State's Lynch and Kolesar, UC Davis' Jennifer Decuir, and Southern Oregon's Ashley Nunley.
Chico State is back in action on Dec. 7 against UC Davis at 6 p.m. in the conference opener for both teams.
UC Davis hammers Southern Oregon 80-54 in Coslet Classic
An 11-0 run spanning the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half propelled the UC Davis women's basketball team to a runaway 80-54 victory over Southern Oregon University in the second and final round of the 30th Annual Coslet Classic hosted by Chico State University Saturday night.
The game was tied 27-27 with 2:50 to play in the first half, but UC Davis outscored the Raiders (1-3) 53-27 from that point to earn their first win of the season, improving to 1-1. Jennifer Decuir led the way for UC Davis with 22 points and eight assists. She was only one of five Aggies to reach double-figures in scoring, however. Kimberly Smith and Kim Omer notched 13 points apiece, Colleen Turnbull chipped in 11, and Sarah Allen finished with 10. Allen also pulled down 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Turnbull just missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds.
Ashley Nunley led Southern Oregon with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Sara Marks finished with 13, and Amy Tangedahl chipped in 10. But no one else on the team could find the bottom of the net with any consistency. As a team, Southern Oregon shot 31-percent. From 3-point range they were even worse, making just 2-of-18 shots from downtown.
UC Davis jumped out to leads of 8-0 and 14-4 before Southern Oregon bounced back and tied the game at 18-18 with 7:13 to play in the half. Back-to-back jumpers by Ashley Nunley gave Southern Oregon a 22-18 cushion with 5:50 to play, but the lead didn't last. Decuir scored five points during a 7-0 UC Davis run which gave UC Davis a lead it would never fully relinquish.
Wildcats win DeYoung's first game
(Nov. 22) In Lynne DeYoung's first game as head coach, the Chico State women's basketball team defeated Southern Oregon University 83-74 Friday night in the opening round of the 30th Annual Coslet Classic.
In the season opener for the Wildcats, Leah Rice led all scorers with 21 points. Rice, who shot 9-of-14 from the field, is making her return after taking last season off to have a baby. Butte College transfer Marissa White scored 16 points, and Michelle Pietka and Rexanne Simpton chipped in 10 points apiece.
DeYoung became just the third head coach to be hired at Chico State during the offseason. An assistant coach at Seattle Pacific University prior to being hired, DeYoung had never started a game as a head coach.
Kara Magee-Arick came off the bench to lead Southern Oregon with 18 points, many of which came on 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. Ashley Nunley and Sara Marks finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Raiders, who dipped to 1-2 on the season.
It was a solid all-around effort for the Wildcats, despite 28 turnovers. Kim Abts led all players with nine assists, and Delise Young, who missed last season with a broken wrist, finished with a game-high 10 rebounds, seven points, and four assists.
Chico State never trailed after jumping out to a 16-6 lead. They led by as many as 18 points twice, but Southern Oregon cut the lead to 81-73 with 2:11 to play on Magee-Arick's 3-pointer.
Chico hosts Humboldt State tomorrow at 7:00. Southern Oregon takes on UC Davis at 5:00.
Humboldt State beats UC Davis in Coslet Classic opener
CHICO – Humboldt State's Emily Watson scored on a put back with 17 seconds to play to lift the Lumberjacks to a thrilling 70-68 victory over UC Davis in the opening game of the 30th Annual Coslet Classic hosted by Chico State University Friday night.
Nicole Lynch scored 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Lumberjacks, while Jackie Kolesar and Charlene Murphy notched 12 points apiece. Jennifer Decuir paced UC Davis with 17 points. Sarah Allen scored 15 points and chipped in nine rebounds. It was the season opener for both teams.
UC Davis had a chance to tie or win the game late, but Sarah Allen missed two free throws with 11 seconds to play and Kim Omer missed a jumper with three seconds left.
The Aggies actually led by 11 at the half and as many as 13, but Humboldt State stormed back to begin the second half. Kolesar tallied two of her four steals early in the half, spurring the comeback. And just six minutes into the half, the Lumberjacks took their first lead of the game.
Humboldt State will take on host Chico State Saturday night at 7 p.m. UC Davis faces Southern Oregon at 5 p.m.
Lynne DeYoung
Named Women's Basketball Coach
Seattle Pacific University assistant coach Lynne DeYoung has been named the head women’s basketball coach at Chico State. She becomes just the third person to hold the title since 1969.
DeYoung has been part of a very successful Seattle Pacific University program over the past nine seasons. After a highly successful playing career at SPU, she became the Falcons assistant coach for the 1997-98 season and helped lead the team to a PacWest title, a West Regional Championship and a trip to the Elite Eight. Last season was her fifth on the SPU coaching staff. Her primary duties included coordination of recruiting, scouting, and coordinating the team’s defense. DeYoung's strengths also include fundraising and community outreach.
During her five years with Seattle Pacific, the Falcons compiled an impressive 113-31 record and made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
We’re really excited to get someone like Lynne, said Athletic Director Don Batie. She’s a rising star in Division II women’s basketball and she’s been highly sought after by a number of outstanding programs. We believe in Lynne we’ve hired someone who will run a very successful program for a long time to come.
During DeYoung’s playing career at Seattle Pacific she received numerous honors. As a co-captain her senior year she was named to the NCAA West Regional all-tournament team and was selected Second Team All-Conference her junior year. She holds six school records for three-point field goals, including most treys made in a season (82) and career (196), which are also Pacific West Conference records
DeYoung graduated in the spring of 1997 with a degree in history from Seattle Pacfic and added a master’s degree in athletic administration in the spring of 2000. DeYoung, formerly Lynne Roberts, attended Enterprise High School in Redding. She won 12 letters and was named NorCal Section Player of the year in basketball.
DeYoung takes over a program that has averaged 17 wins a season over the last four years but hasn’t been able to get over the top and into the postseason since 1996. She also inherits a team loaded with possible returners. Eleven of the 13 letter winners from last year’s 15-12 team are eligible to return