POMONA, Calif. - In a game marked by early struggles, the Broncos faced an uphill battle against the Wildcats. Despite a valiant effort to rally back, the Broncos ultimately fell short 63-71 to the Wildcats on Thursday night. The Broncos are now 10-6 in the CCAA, and 14-7 overall. 

The Broncos faced a challenging start to the night, struggling to find their offensive rhythm and managing only eight points in the first ten minutes of play. Sydney Nelson emerged as a primary scorer for the team in the opening quarter, contributing four points alongside Buggs, who made her presence felt on the boards, grabbing four rebounds in the paint. By the end of the first quarter, the Broncos found themselves trailing 20-8.

The second quarter saw a slight improvement with the Broncos collecting ten points, ending the half with a score of 18-34.

Momentum shifted in the third with Andrea Stajic's quick three-pointer, sparking a 9-0 run in the first 1:50 of play. The Broncos dominated the quarter with 24 points compared to the Wildcats' 17. Kalaya Buggs turned it into high gear in the second half, scoring 18 of her 24 points in the latter 20 minutes. Although the Broncos had this push they trailed 42-51 heading into the final stretch.

Buggs' had another stellar game for the Broncos, as she produced her second double-double performance on the year. On the night, Buggs had 24 points, 14 rebounds,  three assists, and one steal. Buggs had 14 free throw opportunities, going 11-for-14 (.786).

In addition to Buggs' notable performance, Nelson contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks, alongside Breanne Ha, who added 12 points to the scoreboard. Andrea Stajic added to the offense as well with eight points, complemented by six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

The Broncos excelled in working down low, especially on the offensive glass, where they secured 16 rebounds, doubling the Wildcats' total of eight. Their dominance continued throughout the game as they controlled the boards, tallying 43 rebounds for the night.

Despite continuous efforts to narrow the lead, the Broncos couldn't overcome the deficit from the first half. The final score saw them falling short to the Wildcats, with a 63-71 loss. With this result, the Broncos' record stands at 10-6 in the CCAA and 14-7 overall.


Up Next
The Broncos will host the Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks on Saturday, February 10th at 5:30 pm. The Lumberjacks, currently tied for 5th place, have an 8-8 conference record and a 10-10 overall record. In their last meeting in November, the Broncos narrowly lost to the Lumberjacks, 58-61.


Bronco Bits

• Head Coach Danelle Bishop's CPP coaching record stands at 240-129, boasting a winning percentage of .651.
• The Broncos currently rank second in offense in the CCAA, averaging 72.2 points per game. They have accumulated a total of 1516 points so far this season.
• Kalaya Buggs has climbed to fifth place in the CCAA for scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game. She has amassed a total of 327 points throughout the season.
• Sydney Nelson holds the sixth position in the CCAA for blocks in a single game, recording four blocks against San Francisco State on December 7th.