SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The Broncos secured their spot in the CCAA Tournament with an emphatic 83-53 victory over the Gators on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Broncos' conference record to 13-6, and their overall season record to 17-7 with an impressive record of 10-2 on the road. The Broncos will now make their 27th appearance in the CCAA Tournament from March 7-9^th in San Bernardino, a testament to their consistent success throughout the program's history.
 
The first quarter saw a relatively slow start, with the Broncos scoring 13 points while holding the Gators to just six points. The Broncos' defense was relentless, limiting the Gators' scoring opportunities until 1:47 left on the clock when the Gators made a three-pointer. Nonetheless, the Broncos ended the quarter with a seven point lead.
 
The second quarter saw the Broncos improve in shooting, scoring 22 points, while the Gators fought back with 17 of their own. Freshman Sydney Nelson initiated the scoring with a layup just 41 seconds into the quarter, setting the tone for the Broncos. As halftime approached, Kalaya Buggs scored the final six points for the Broncos in the half, extending the lead to 35-23.
 
The third quarter witnessed even stronger shooting from the Bronco offense, scoring 27 points over the 10 minutes of play. Buggs' three successful free throws towards the end of the quarter propelled the Broncos to their largest lead of the game up until that point, sitting at 62-40 in favor of the Green & Gold. Cal Poly Pomona was an impressive 11-for-13 from the line in the third quarter, which only helped extend that lead.
 
Buggs was once again the leading scorer in the game, tallying an impressive 26 points, marking her eighth game this season with more than 20 points - seven of those performances coming in her past eight games. Additionally, Buggs contributed six rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Buggs continued her sharp shooting from the free throw line, going 13-for-15 against the Gators. She is one of six players in the CCAA to have a free throw percentage above 80 percent this season.
 
The Broncos' offense was well-distributed, with nine different players contributing to the scoreboard. Sydney Nelson emerged as the second-highest scorer, adding 14 points along with seven rebounds, one block, and one assist. Mydrea Moore, Breanne Ha, and Sydney Fedinec also made significant contributions with eight points each. The team grabbed their second most boards of the season on Saturday with 55, including nine from Reina Sausedo, and seven from both Nelson and Moore.
 
The Broncos finished strong in the fourth quarter, adding 21 points while limiting the Gators to just 13. With a commanding 30-point lead, the Broncos secured the victory, punching their ticket to San Bernardino in early March for the 27th time in program history.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos will return home this Thursday, February 22nd, for the first of their final three home games to conclude the regular season. They'll face off against the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters at 5:30 PM. The game will also be Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, during which the CPP Athletics Department will honor CPP Faculty and Staff for their dedication and support to the department.
 
 
Bronco Bits

• The Broncos secured an impressive 55 rebounds in today's game, their second most of the season.
• Sydney Nelson has recorded double-digit scoring in 21 out of her first 23 collegiate games played.
• Kalaya Buggs has notched double-digit scoring in 15 games this season, with seven of those games tallying in the 20s and one surpassing 30 points.
• Head Coach Danelle Bishop now boasts a coaching record of 243-129 with the Broncos.
• Kalaya Buggs holds the 4th position in the CCAA for her impressive points-per-game average of 16.0, while Sydney Nelson secures the 10th spot with an average of 15.0 points per game.
• This marks the 27th occasion in Bronco's history that they have earned a spot in the CCAA tournament.
• The Broncos now have four 30-point victories this season, two of those coming against San Francisco State.