POMONA - The Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team put five players in double-figure scoring and got past area rival Cal State LA, 76-69, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) contest with big postseason implications at Kellogg Arena on Saturday night.

With the victory, CPP improves to 5-9 overall and 4-6 in the CCAA. Cal State LA drops to 5-9 overall and 4-5 in league play.

The game was just about a must-win affair for the Broncos in their 10th conference date with 10 more scheduled to go, as the visiting Golden Eagles sit just above them in the table. The top six teams, according to CCAA winning percentage this season due to a multitude of contests getting wiped out because of COVID-19 issues, earn berths into the CCAA Tournament in March. Tonight's result keeps CPP in the thick of that postseason picture, in eighth (.400), right behind CSULA (.444).

Three Golden Eagle baskets in the early going were offset by a Monica Todd free throw, a jumper from reigning CCAA Player of the Week Ally Bates, and a Jayda Villareal three-pointer. The guests held an 8-6 lead at the first-quarter media timeout, and extended their advantage through a Nicole Flennaugh triple with under four minutes to go. The run extended to 7-0 thanks to a Jada Johnson steal and Iyanna Lamb layup.

Trailing 15-9, a Breanne Ha three-pointer ignited a 12-0 run around the quarter break to make it 21-15 in favor of the hosts with 8:37 to go in the second. Ha's triple was followed by a Todd bucket and two Ha free throws that gave the Broncos the lead back at 16-15. A Ha-assisted Bates three and a Todd layup rounded out the decisive sequence.

Flennaugh's third three-pointer of the night tied the game a third and final time at 23-23 with 5:55 remaining in the half. Ha responded with another triple on the ensuing CPP possession after Villareal grabbed the rebound off her own miss, and the Broncos led the entire rest of the way. They went up by as many as eight, with the score 41-33 at the break.

Todd opened the scoring in the second half and pushed the margin to double digits for the first time at 43-33. Later, back-to-back layups by Todd again, both assisted by Bates and the latter one a three-point play, made it a 53-39 bulge with 2:30 remaining in the third. A three-point play by Yesenia Smith pulled the Golden Eagles back to within five at 55-50 through three periods of play.

The fourth quarter began like the third, with a Todd bucket, which gave the San Diego native 501 points for her CPP career. A Bates field goal and Villareal free throw made it a 5-0 run and a double-digit cushion again at 60-50. The closest the Golden Eagles would get from there was within six, at 75-69 with under 10 seconds to go.

Tops among four Bronco starters in double figures was Todd with her 19 points. She shot an efficient 8-of-10 from the floor and added a team-best six rebounds and a game- and season-high five steals. Villareal contributed 16 points, five boards, one assist and a steal. Bates had 15 points, four rebounds and a game-high six assists, and played the full 40 minutes. Ha collected 13 points, six boards, three steals and two assists.

Islas scored 11 points off the bench, with her first basket, a three-pointer with 4:53 to go in the second period, putting her over the 500-point milestone for her career in the green and gold as well. Ciara James had the only four blocked shots of the game, matching her career and season high and increasing her CCAA-leading total to 26 on the year.

CPP hit eight three-pointers in the first half en route to equaling its season high of 11 made triples, having previously connected on that many in its opener against then-fifth-ranked Azusa Pacific back on Nov. 12. Bates, Ha and Villareal had three each, while Islas had the other two.

The Broncos shot season bests of 47.4 percent (27-57) from the field and 47.8 percent (11-23) from long distance.

Flennaugh poured in a game-high 27 points with five three-point makes. Lily Buggs added 13, with Johnson and Anai Washington at 10 apiece. Johnson put together a noteworthy double-double with a game-high 20 rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona continues its season-long four-game home stand on Thursday, Jan. 27, against another local foe just above it in the standings in Cal State Dominguez Hills (7-7, 5-4 CCAA). Tipoff at Kellogg Arena is set for 5:30 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m. Please click here for CPP Athletics' latest basketball spectator policy.

All CCAA basketball contests throughout this 2021-22 season are streaming live online via the CCAA Network at www.ccaanetwork.com. Fans may also download the CCAA Network app on your iOS or Android smartphone, tablet, or through web streaming devices such as Amazon Fire, Roku or Apple TV. The CCAA Network has moved to a subscription-based model at just $9.95 per month. Subscribers have access to all CCAA broadcasts, both live and on-demand.

Bronco Bits: Cal Poly Pomona is 205-105 (.661) overall and 158-68 (.699) in CCAA play under 12th-year head coach Danelle Bishop ... Bishop's career mark is 343-190 (.644) in her 18th on-the-court season ... CPP began with the same lineup for the fifth game in a row, consisting of Ally Bates, Breanne Ha, Ciara James, Monica Todd and Jayda Villareal ... Bates is the only Bronco to start all 14 games ... CPP has used nine different starting lineups ... Todd reached the 100-steal mark for her Bronco career on Thursday, and now has 105 in the green and gold and a team-best 30 thefts this year, tied for sixth in the CCAA ... Rebecca Islas and Todd are at 510 and 503 points, respectively, at CPP ... The Broncos are an even 3-3 at home in 2021-22 ... CPP has dominated the all-time series that dates back to 1974-75, leading it 86-11 (45-4 in Pomona since 1976-77) ... The 86 wins are the Broncos' most against any opponent in their history, with Cal State Dominguez Hills next at 71 ... CPP has won the last six matchups, since a 51-48 road loss on Jan. 7, 2017 ... The Broncos have taken seven consecutive home meetings since a 85-69 defeat on Feb. 27, 2013 ... CPP is 15-6 against CSULA under Bishop (9-2 in Pomona) ... The sides are scheduled to meet again in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 5:30 p.m.