POMONA – Led by a career-high of 16 points from Kalaya Buggs, the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team rallied for a pivotal 69-64 victory over visiting Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday evening at Kellogg Arena in Pomona.
 
With the victory, the Broncos rise to 14-8 overall, and with four games remaining in the regular season, they hold sole possession of fifth place in the CCAA at 11-7. The top six teams in the final standings will qualify for the 2023 CCAA Basketball Tournament on Mar. 2-4 in Turlock. The Otters fell to 5-18 overall (1-17 CCAA).
 
Cal State Monterey Bay controlled much of the first half, even taking a seven point lead at 25-18 with 5:20 to go in the second period, but CPP scored 10 of the next 15 points to cut the deficit to two points at 30-28 with under a minute to play before the intermission. A Mikayla Mabie jumper just before half gave the Otters a four-point lead going into the locker rooms.
 
The Broncos took over in the third period and eventually pulled out to a 12-point lead with three minutes to go in the game before settling for the five-point win.
 
For Buggs, 12 of her 16 points came from the free throw line where she was 12 for 17; she added in a team-high seven assists as well. Alicia Jones chipped in with 15 points and Breanne Ha added 12. Ally Bates tallied seven points, but led all players with 12 rebounds. Ciara James had eight points and nine rebounds in the victory as well.
 
CPP connected on 38.3 percent of its shots (18 of 47) while CSUMB was 39.7 percent from the floor (23 of 58).
 
Cal State Monterey Bay was led by the 14 points from Jordan Beaumont off the bench.
 

At halftime of tonight's @cppwbb game, we honored a couple of past CPP women's basketball teams —the 1982 @NCAAdii National Champions and the 2002 @NCAAdii National Champions! Here are members of that 2002 squad. Great to see you ladies! pic.twitter.com/pxUdQXtvqn

— CPP Broncos Athletics (@cppbroncos) February 12, 2023

 

Congratulations to @cppwbb alum Violet Palmer for her induction into the @goccaa Hall of Fame! Violet was recognized at halftime and is pictured with CPP Athletics Director Brian Swanson, CCAA Commissioner @CCAACommishCox and @calpolypomona President @PresColeyCPP. pic.twitter.com/20h0gmDgcG

— CPP Broncos Athletics (@cppbroncos) February 12, 2023

 
Cal Poly Pomona will head north for its final road trip of the regular season, first taking on Sonoma State in Rohnert Park on Thursday at 5:30 pm before heading up to Arcata on Saturday to play Cal Poly Humboldt, also at 5:30 pm.
 
Bronco Bits

• Head coach Danelle Bishop moves to 360-204 in her 19th season as a head coach, including 222-119 in 12 seasons at Cal Poly Pomona.
• The Broncos have now won six consecutive games against Cal State Monterey Bay, rising to 25-10 all-time against the Otters; CPP has won seven straight over CSUMB in Pomona.
• As a program, Cal Poly Pomona is now 1,035-401 in its 48th season, including 547-130 in home games and 282-90 in the month of February since its inception in 1974-75.