SANTA CRUZ (1-14) – UC Santa Cruz played their first game of the 2017 calendar year as they took on NAIA member William Jessup University at Kaiser Permanente Arena. The Banana Slugs overcame a first quarter double-digit deficit to defeat the Warriors 54-46.
In the first quarter, the Warriors started the game on a 10-0 run, capped by a pair of Sara Vasquez free throws, over the first 3:53 of clock time. The ten point lead was the Warriors' largest of the ballgame. From there, the Banana Slugs would go on a 13-6 run, capped by a Sonya Ivanovic three pointer with thirty nine seconds left in the quarter, to trim the Warriors' lead to 16-13. The Warriors led 16-13 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Banana Slugs would continue to trim away at the Warriors' lead. The Banana Slugs would take the lead at 17-16 on a Jasmin Dimson jumper with 7:23 left in the half. The Warriors would respond with a 6-0 run over their own, capped by a Vasquez three pointer with 3:41 left in the half, to give the Warriors a 22-17 lead. The Banana Slugs would then go on a 8-2 run to end the half, capped by a pair of Jenna Sparks free throws with twenty one seconds left in the half, to give the Banana Slugs a 25-24 lead. The Banana Slugs led 25-24 at the halftime break.
In the third quarter, the two teams would trade baskets, and the lead, for the entire quarter. Each team gained a three point lead during the quarter. The Warriors would gain their three point lead at 35-32 on a Vasquez layup with 1:57 left in the quarter while the Banana Slugs would gain their three point lead at 38-35 on a Katie Young three pointer with nine seconds left in the quarter. The Banana Slugs led 38-35 at the end of three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, the Banana Slugs would expand their lead. The Banana Slugs would gain their largest lead of the ballgame, at twelve, at 52-40 on a Young three pointer with 3:55 left in the game. The Warriors would come as close as six, at 52-46, on an Ashlyn Jones jumper with twenty seven seconds left. The Banana Slugs won 54-46 for the their first win in the 2017 calendar year and their fifth consecutive at home.
Young had eleven points to lead the Banana Slugs. Rona Chavez had a game high sixteen points for the Warriors. Michelle Poole and Kim Tom, off the bench, had nine points apiece and Ivanovic had seven points in the win. Jones had eleven and Vasquez had seven points for the Warriors.
The Banana Slugs shot 26.9% (18-67) from the field, 25.8% (8-31) from the three-point line and were 100% (10-10) from the free throw line. The Beavers shot 29.8% (17-57) from the field, 33.3% (5-15) from the three-point line and 77.8% (7-9) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced twenty six Warrior turnovers scoring thirteen points off the turnovers while the Warriors' defense forced thirteen turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring ten points off the turnovers. William Jessup outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 51-38 while the Banana Slugs had fifteen more points off the bench (21-6) than did the Warriors.
The Banana Slugs' next game is tomorrow as they take on NAIA member University of Antelope Valley at 4 pm at Kaiser Permanente Arena.