ANCHORAGE, Alaska– In the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball West Regional at the Alaska Airlines Center, California Baptist advanced to the semifinals and two other PacWest teams were eliminated. CBU beat Point Loma in the opening round, and Hawai’i Pacific fell to top-seed Alaska Anchorage.
No. 2 CBU will play No. 3 Western Washington on Saturday at 5 p.m. AKST. No. 5 Simon Fraser faces No. 1 Alaska Anchorage in the other semifinal at 7:30 p.m.
California Baptist 85 – Point Loma 79 (OT)
In the third meeting in the last two weeks, No. 2 California Baptist outlasted No. 7 Point Loma, 85-79, in overtime.
Cassidy Mihalko scored a game-high 26 points to surpass Samantha Murphy for the PacWest career scoring record. She also had 11 rebounds and two steals.
Kamille Diaz nearly achieved a triple-double with 18 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Roya Rustamzada led Point Loma with 21 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Alex Brunk had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
CBU led by two at the half and a Mihalko three stretched the lead to eight after the third quarter. Point Loma pulled within three in the final minute and Rustamzada was fouled on a three-point attempt with six seconds left. She made all three from the line to send the game to overtime. Diaz made a three-pointer and assisted three other field goals in a 10-2 CBU to clinch the win.
Alaska Anchorage 63 - Hawai’i Pacific 56
No. 8 Hawai’i Pacific lost to No. 1 Alaska Anchorage, 63-56, in the final regional game Friday night.
Spencer Gray led the Sharks with 15 points and four assists, and
Amanita Cole had 10 points and six rebounds.
HPU led 20-15 after the first quarter and four free throws extended the lead to 26-18 with 5:58 to play in the first half. The free throws were half of the points would score during a 19-minute stretch where they missed 25-straight shots from the field. UAA capitalized on the cold streak with a 30-8 run to take a 46-30 lead early in the fourth quarter. HPU made one last push with a 10-3 to cut the deficit to four with 19 seconds left. Autumn Williams missed her second free throw on Anchorage’s last possession, but grabbed the offensive rebound, forcing the Sharks to foul again. Sierra Afoa made both free throws to push the lead back to seven points.