FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton women's basketball lost to LMU Tuesday night at Titan Gym by a final score of 51-64. The Titans wrap up the nonconference slate with a 5-5 record.
Kathryn Neff and Ashlee Lewis led the Titans offensively with 11 points each while Lily Wahinekapu added 10. Gabi Vidmar had a team-high eight rebounds with six of them coming on the offensive end.
Ariel Johnson had a game-high 15 points for LMU while Alexis Mark added nine points and a game-high 16 rebounds. In total, three Lions scored in double figures.
The Titans got off to somewhat of a slow start but Carolyn Gill kept the team in the game early with her energy on both ends of the court. Gill led the team with eight points in the first half of action.
With Fullerton trailing by eight, Gill grabbed a defensive rebound and took the ball coast-to-coast and finished with her left hand to bring the Titans within six points.
.@_cgilly goin' coast-to-coast! pic.twitter.com/rkMQF4omy4
— Titans Women's Basketball (@FullertonWBB) December 22, 2021
Fujika Nimmo then found Gill wide open underneath the basket to end the first quarter with Fullerton trailing 11-17.
.@fujika_n finds @_cgilly for the easy finish to end the 1st quarter! Titans trail 11-17. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/9mLddbshe8
— Titans Women's Basketball (@FullertonWBB) December 22, 2021
The Titans trailed by as much as nine points in the second quarter before Lewis drained a mid-range jumper and a great steal on the defensive end by Gabi Vidmar that she took on the fastbreak for an easy layup cut the Titans deficit to five.
.@gabvidmar turning defense into offense ��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/UZekOceObX
— Titans Women's Basketball (@FullertonWBB) December 22, 2021
Fullerton came out of the locker room in the second half much more energized as they opened the half on a 6-0 run with all of the points being scored by Wahinekapu. The Titans had an extended 10-2 run to tie the game at 34 after a bucket inside by Lewis.
After LMU regained the lead the Titans answered with a steal by Wahinkapu who then found Nimmo in the paint who finished through contact to tie the game once again at 36. Fullerton took its first lead since early in the first quarter after a great block by Neff which led to a layup by Wahinekapu.
Lily Wahinekapu �� Fujika Nimmo#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/6T3npgrXaD
— Titans Women's Basketball (@FullertonWBB) December 22, 2021
.@kathryneff with the block leading to a layup by Wahinekapu to give the Titans the lead! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/f2eilr8QBG
— Titans Women's Basketball (@FullertonWBB) December 22, 2021
The Titans gave it their all in attempts to complete yet another second half comeback but Loyola Marymount was able to pull away late in the fourth quarter after a few key stops on the defensive end.
Fullerton begins Big West Conference play Dec. 30 against CSU Bakersfield at Titan Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT.
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Titans fans can now watch every home basketball game exclusively on ESPN+. Cal State Fullerton has built a top-tier production studio to give the viewers an ESPN quality production for all games at Titan Gym which will also lead into baseball and softball games. Additionally, all schools in the Big West Conference are committed to producing ESPN quality streams which will allow fans to watch the Titans on ESPN+ for all road conference games.
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