From the tip-off, it was clear last year’s Big West Women’s Basketball Tournament game was on everybody’s mind today. No. 10 UC Riverside faced off against No. 7 Cal Poly in the first round of the tournament. The Mustangs swept the regular season series, but the Highlanders pulled off the upset. With this being the first matchup between these teams since, this game meant a little extra to both teams.
Prepared for a physical matchup, Cal Poly started a very tall lineup. Their frontcourt featured 6 foot redshirt freshman Sierra Lichtie and 6 foot 1 inch senior Natalia Ackerman. On the other end of the spectrum, the Highlanders would need to keep an eye on 5 foot 3 inch junior Annika Shah. Shah is a 3-level scorer with the playmaking skills that make her a dynamo on offense.
Early on, the size advantage possessed by the Mustangs paid dividends. Ackerman established paint dominance with two blocks as Cal Poly’s offense found easy buckets inside. As the smaller team, the Highlanders looked to use their speed to slow down the Mustangs. Cal Poly utilized screens to push around the smaller Highlanders. However, the UCR guards were not deterred. By working around screens, sophomore Makayla Jackson and senior Jordan Webster gave Shah all she could handle.
After poor shot selection and turnovers from the Mustangs, Jackson and Webster used their speed to set each other up for fastbreak points. A deep 3-pointer from fifth-year guard RyAnne Walters gave the Highlanders a 15-11 lead and the momentum going into the second quarter.
After the break, Shah and the Mustangs offense got off to a quick start. After a long baseline jumper, Shah setup freshman Mary Carter for a 3-point play. After Cal Poly’s initial success to start the quarter, the Highlanders weaponized their full-court press to a tee. By taking advantage of lazy inbounds and telegraphed passes, UCR’s redshirt senior Matehya Bryant reaped the rewards on offense. Following a steal from senior Julia Stenberg, Bryant scored her third bucket in a row for the Highlanders.
Apart from a stepback 3-pointer by sophomore Zoe Tillery, the Highlanders were getting easy transition buckets all quarter. Fast hands and swift instincts from junior Jaden Sanderson, Jordan Webster and RyAnne Walters gave Cal Poly’s coaching staff a headache going into halftime. With a 34-21 lead, the Highlanders stuck to their guns in the second half.
After stealing the inbound pass, Tillery channeled her inner Kevin Love and launched a dime to Webster in the opposite corner. She connected on the corner triple and this game was getting away from the Mustangs. Desperate for a spark, Cal Poly gave the Highlanders a taste of their own medicine.
The change helped the Mustangs adapt to the fast tempo of the Highlanders. With extra possessions from the full-court press, Mary Carter knocked down three triples to bring the Highlander lead back to 13 at the end of the third quarter.
Even with a big lead entering the fourth quarter, the Highlanders had to work hard to hold on. With both teams employing a full-court press, the intensity and tempo were dialed up to 11. The fourth quarter featured lots of fouls and fights for loose balls. A runner from Annika Shah cut the lead to single digits, but that was as close as it got. The Highlanders secured a 64-53 win in San Luis Obispo thanks to their aggressive defense.
After back-to-back wins against Long Beach State and Cal Poly, UCR improved to a 7-8 (2-3) record. In both victories, forcing turnovers was the name of the game. The scrappy Highlanders don’t play the prettiest style of basketball, but it is surely effective. UCR enters a tough two-game homestand against back-to-back champions Hawaii Jan. 13 and Cal State Bakersfield Jan. 18.
