RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team dropped a tightly-contested Big West Conference matchup at UC Riverside on Thursday night at UCR's Student Rec Center, 77-69, behind Brittany Crain's 20 points and Annelise Ito's 14-point, 12-rebound double double.
Despite Crain and Ito's big nights on the scoreboard, it was the turnover battle that decided the outcome of this game. The Titans (9-11, 3-4) turned the ball over a season-high 27 times on Thursday night that led directly to 30 Highlander points. In comparison, the Highlanders only gave away the ball nine times that Fullerton was able to turn into nine points.
The Titans came out shooting to start the game after winning the opening tip. Chante Miles began her night by draining the opening shot of the game for the Titans. Fullerton would hold its only lead of the game for another four minutes until a Dynese Adams layup put the Highlanders up 7-6 with 16:08 to go in the first half. UC Riverside would not surrender its lead through the remainder of the game, holding the lead for over 90 percent of the contest.
Although they trailed for a majority of the night, senior's Miles and Kathleen Iwuoha did their best to keep Fullerton in the game through the first 20 minutes, each powering through the opening frame without a rest. Miles led all scorers at the half with 13 points (5-of-8 FG) and Iwuoha was a force down low, scoring eight points (3-of-6 FG) and pulling down seven rebounds.
In her first start of the year, senior Natalie Williams contributed energy to both ends of the floor for the Titans, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out an assist in her eight minutes played.
Fullerton shot 35 percent (9-of-26) from the field in the first half, with UCR only shooting slightly better at 37 percent (15-of-41). The Titans won the battle on the glass in the first half 22-17, but were undone in the turnover category after giving the ball away 13 times. Aided by 17 points off turnovers in the opening frame, the Highlanders took a 38-30 lead into the halftime break.
The second half was again tightly contested as each team scored a total of 39 points in the final 20 minutes. Both teams shot the ball well to end the game as the Titans shot 60 percent (16-of-27) from the field and 38 percent (3-of-8) from behind the arc. The Highlanders would not be outdone, however, as they answered every shot from the Titans down the stretch, shooting 54 percent (15-of-28) from the field and 50 percent (4-of-8) from three-point territory.
With just under eight minutes to go in the game the Titans lost their leading scorer, Miles, after committing her fifth foul of the game. It was the first time this season Miles was forced to sit during the last minutes of the game due to fouling out. Seniors Iwuoha and Tailer Butler would not let the Titans go down without a fight as they led a spirited 6-0 Titan run, following the Miles foul-out, to cut the Highlander lead to just four points with 4:41 left in the game.
It was the closest Fullerton would get to UCR as Adams and Crain made back-to-back jumpers to push their lead back to eight points, and out of reach for the Titans. UC Riverside (14-8, 5-3) again won the all-important turnover battle in the second half, 14-8, and came up with 11 steals compared to just one from the Titans.
Iwuoha shined for the Titans on Thursday, posting her team-leading fifth double double of the season. The senior from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., poured in 19 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. Iwuoha played the full 40 minutes for the first time this season and extended her season-best, four-game streak of scoring in double figures.
The Titans will look to get back to their winning ways as they continue their road trip to The Matadome to take on Big West Conference foe CSUN at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Notes: The Titans all-time record against UC Riverside falls to 23-24…Chante Miles' scored 20 points tonight, making it her 18th-straight game scoring in double figures...It was also the ninth time this season Miles has scored 20+ points in a game…Kathleen Iwuoha posted her team-leading fifth double double of the season…Natalie Williams earned her first start of the season tonight against UC Riverside, finishing with a season-high seven points while pulling down seven rebounds…Fullerton's all-time record against Big West Conference opponents falls to 205-249…The Titans and Highlanders split the 2014-15 season series after Fullerton won the opening game of this series 58-49 on Jan. 8 at Titan Gym…Chante Miles (1,254 points) is now five points shy of Marlene Kline (1,259 points) for 11th place all-time on Fullerton's career scoring list…Fullerton sent out the starting five of Butler, Miles, Logan, Iwuoha and Williams for the first time this season, and has started a group of all-returners for the second-straight game.
