TURLOCK, Calif. - The Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team took a liking to Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena on Saturday night, producing season highs in field goal percentage and points in a 90-74 road triumph over Stanislaus State.
In snapping a three-game losing streak, CPP improves to 6-12 overall and 5-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Stanislaus State drops to 11-6 overall and 6-5 in league play. The Warriors began the day in third place in the standings, but have now dropped four straight.
Cal Poly Pomona was highly efficient from everywhere, shooting 53.7 percent (29-54) from the floor, 45.0 percent (9-20) from long range, and 85.2 percent (23-27) from the charity stripe. The Broncos shot better than 50 percent from the field for the first time this season.
CPP achieved the rarity of having a trio of 20-point scorers, with
Monica Todd matching her career best from earlier this season of 24 to lead all players. The San Diego product made 11 of her 17 shot attempts. Fellow seniors
Jayda Villareal and
Ally Bates added 22 and 21 points, respectively, each an identical 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. The duo combined to make all 13 of their free throws.
For the second game in a row this weekend on the road, Cal Poly Pomona put together a strong opening, as it led 17-8 by the midway point of the first quarter following a third Villareal three-pointer in as many attempts. Contrary to what happened Thursday night at Chico State, CPP was able to maintain its solid play throughout. The guests in fact never trailed, and led for the remainder after Villareal's first three at 8:37 broke a lone tie of 2-2.
The Broncos extended their advantage to 27-12 by the close of that initial quarter, as they shot 64.3 percent (9-14) from the floor, including the three triples from their senior point guard, and made all six free throws. Ten of those 27 points came off of 12 Warrior turnovers. Todd was 5-for-5 from the field and Villareal went 3-for-3.
After three Villareal free throws with 2:22 to go in the half, CPP had still doubled up Stanislaus State, 47-22, and the Broncos took a 49-26 bulge into the locker room. They shot 60.0 percent (15-25) over 20 minutes.
Todd provided the first basket of the second half, but Cal Poly Pomona failed to manage a point over the next 4:41 as the Warriors scored 10 unanswered, punctuated by a Taylor Pilot three for her first points of the night just after the third-quarter media timeout to make it a 51-36 game.
Two
Chynna Cochran free throws finally ended the Bronco drought. On their next possession,
Breanne Ha drilled a left-wing three, assisted by Bates, for CPP's first made basket in 5:06. That made it 56-38.
By the end of the period, Stanislaus State had closed to within just eight, 63-55, thanks to a three-point play by Maya Gorman for her first points of the contest. Ha came through with a huge three-pointer to give her eight points in the quarter, and CPP went to the fourth up 66-55.
The final stanza began with driving layups by Bates, Villareal, and then Todd, to give the Broncos back some breathing room at 72-55. The Warriors were held scoreless until a Da'Myiah Lewis three with 7:04 to go in the game off a Gorman steal. Cochran then provided four straight points on a Villareal-assisted layup and two more free throws, and the home side could get no closer than 11 over the final five minutes.
Todd added four assists and team highs of eight rebounds and five steals to her point total. She reached double figures in scoring for a seventh consecutive game and 11th time this season. Villareal added seven boards, four assists and two steals. Bates collected seven rebounds, three assists and four steals. Cochran had nine points and Ha eight, all in the second half. Ha also dished out a season- and game-high eight assists, two of them on Villareal threes.
Joia Armstrong led Stanislaus State with a double-double of 20 points and a game-high 12 boards. Liliana Marques contributed 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Pilot had nine points, seven assists and a game-high six steals. Lewis added 11 points and five steals.
Cal Poly Pomona contests the second half of this season-long four-game road swing next weekend, beginning at area rival Cal State LA (8-10, 7-6 CCAA) on Thursday, Feb. 10. Tipoff at University Gym is set for 5:30 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m.
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 206-108 (.656) overall and 159-71 (.691) in CCAA play under 12th-year head coach
Danelle Bishop ... Bishop's career mark is 344-193 (.641) in her 18th on-the-court season ... CPP began with the same lineup for the ninth 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 18 games ... CPP has used nine different starting lineups ... Bates' first assist gave her 200 for her college career, and she fell two points shy of equaling her season high ... Villareal's 22 points were a season best, falling two short of matching her career high ... Bates, Todd and Villareal all have three 20-point performances for CPP ... James had one block to increase her CCAA-leading season total to a career-high 33 ... The Broncos are 3-7 away from home in 2021-22 ... CPP leads the all-time series, 42-13 (18-8 in Turlock) ... Stanislaus State had edged out a 59-58 decision in Pomona back on Dec. 2 ... The Broncos are 15-7 against the Warriors under Bishop (7-3 in Turlock) ... They have taken three straight road meetings since a 72-65 defeat there on Nov. 18, 2017 ... CPP has not suffered a sweep of the two-game regular-season series with the Warriors since 2015-16.