Glendora, CA (Women’s Basketball) – After a heart-breaking 3-point loss to LA Valley on Wednesday, the Lady Owls women’s basketball team looked to bounce back with a strong showing against Santa Monica College at home on Saturday night. Coming out of the gate, the Lady Owls struggled as they shot just 19.5% from the floor and trailed at half-time, but in the second half they picked themselves off of the floor, shooting 52.8% from the field and out-scoring the Corsairs 49-34 on their way to a 72-58 victory.
The first half would prove to be a half of basketball that both teams would probably like to forget. Along with Citrus’ 19.5% shooting from the field, Santa Monica shot 26.3% from the floor while turning the ball over 12 times. Out of the 79 shots, not counting free-throws, taken by both teams in the first 20 minutes of the contest, just 18 went through the baskets.
Despite the rugged start for both squads, someone still had to win the game, and Citrus looked like it would be the first team to take the initiative jumping out to a 5-point 7-2 lead after a Shateah West jump shot. Santa Monica would slowly chip away at the lead, before taking the lead for the first time of the night after a Jasmine English shot in the lane went through the hoop, making the score 12-11 in favor of SMC.
Over a minute later a Terri Washington jumper would help Citrus regain the lead, but the Corsairs quickly answered with another bucket by English that would give Santa Monica the lead for the rest of the half. The Corsairs would push their lead to as much as five points with just over four minutes to play, but Citrus would go into the break trailing by just one point 23-24.
In the second half, Santa Monica would continue its momentum picked up in the first half by scoring five of the first seven points of the half pushing their lead to four points after yet another basket in the lane by English. Citrus finally began to heat up however, as Jessica Nieves’ 3-pointer would pull the Lady Owls to within 1-point of the SMC lead.
Santa Monica would answer with another jumper in the lane, this time from Jewell Morris, but seconds later Citrus answered with another trey, this one from the hands of Jazmine Matthews that tied the game up at 33-33. After forcing the Corsairs into a turnover on the next possession, the Lady Owls finally broke through using a Shateah West basket to take a 2-point lead over the Corsairs that they wouldn’t surrender the rest of the way.
Santa Monica would tie the game up twice more, but both times the Lady Owls were able to regain the lead. After the Corsair’s tied the game up at 37-37, Citrus rattled off a 15-1 run that culminated in a fast-break basket by West that gave the Owls a 14-point 54-40 lead. From that point on, Citrus’ lead never dipped below double digits as they cruised to a 14-point victory.
The Lady Owls had four players finish in double-digits in scoring. Jessica Nieves led the way with a game high 16 points, while Terri Washington poured in 14 off the bench, and Shateah West and Jazmine Matthews added 12 and 11 points respectively. West also finished the game with her fourth double-double of the season, as she grabbed a team high 10 rebounds.
With the win the Lady Owls improve to 15-8 overall and 2-2 in WSC South play. Citrus will be back at home on Wednesday as it hosts Glendale College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
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