SEASIDE, Calif. - In a thrilling matchup on Saturday afternoon, the Broncos secured their 11th win of the season with a hard-fought 65-60 victory over the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters.
Breanne Ha set the tone early, initiating the scoring for the Broncos with a three-pointer for the first points of the game. Ha would go on to make five treys on the afternoon and was an integral part of the team's offensive efforts with a team-leading 19 points.
The Bronco defense dominated the opening quarter, holding the Otter to just one point in the initial four minutes of play. Despite facing an early ten-point deficit, the Otters went on a 12-6 run to bring the game back within reach, concluding the first quarter with a 19-16 lead in favor of the Broncos.
In the second quarter, the Broncos capitalized on their opportunities at the charity stripe, garnering 11 of their 13 points from successful free throws. Despite the Otters trailing closely, the Broncos maintained their lead as the teams headed into halftime with a score of 32-25.
The offense continued to perform well in the third quarter, amassing 19 points with an impressive 53.33% field goal percentage.
Sydney Nelson and Andrea Stajic joined Ha with double-digit points in the game. Nelson, with 15 points, showcased her dynamic abilities with three rebounds, one assist, one block, and four steals. Stajic, tallying 12 points, added three rebounds, an assist, and a steal to the Broncos success.
On the defensive end, Jeanette Fine demonstrated her rebounding prowess, collecting a total of nine rebounds, seven of which were on the defensive end. Fine ranks second on the team in rebounds with 95 on the year, behind only Nelson at 100.
Despite being outscored 14-to-19 in the final quarter, Ha's trey at 2:30 gave the Broncos the lead, and they never let it up after that.
With this win, the Broncos improved their overall record to 11-5, boasting a conference record of 7-4 and holding the second spot in the CCAA. Remarkably, the Broncos have found success on the road, maintaining a stellar 7-1 record in away games.
Up Next
The Broncos are set to return to Kellogg Arena on Thursday, January 25th, where they will face the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros at 5:30 pm. The Toros currently hold the third-place spot in the CCAA with a 6-5 record in conference play and a 9-8 overall record. The Green & Gold Block Party will take place before Saturday's doubleheader against the Golden Eagles, featuring carnival games & rides, giveaways, face painting, and free tacos and churros while supplies last. Register for the Block Party HERE.
Bronco Bits
- Over the past decade, the Broncos have demonstrated their dominance against Cal State Monterey Bay with an impressive 15-1 record against the Otters.
- Breanne Ha currently ranks 4th in the CCAA in both 3-PT field goal percentage (.373) and 3-PT field goals per game (2.6).
- Kalaya Buggs holds the second spot in the CCAA with an impressive free-throw percentage of .835.
- Sydney Nelson has now scored in double digits 13 times to start her college career. Remarkably, she has been held to under 10 points only twice in her freshman year. This game marks her 6th consecutive game, scoring over 10 points.
