LA JOLLA, Calif. - Jeanette DeWitt scored 25 points and
grabbed 16 rebounds and Kayla Williams finished with 19 points to guide visiting
Humboldt State to a 92-88 double overtime victory over UC San Diego in a
thrilling conference matchup on Sunday afternoon at RIMAC Arena.
Chelsea Carlisle led
all scorers with 29 points and Emily Osga put in 19, but it wasn't enough as
the Tritons lost to the Lumberjacks for the fourth time in five meetings over the
last two seasons. UCSD held a 13-point lead late in the second half, but HSU
came all the way back to force overtime and then prevailed in the second extra
period.
Humboldt State
improves to 4-4 overall with the win and picks up its first victory in
California Collegiate Athletic Association play against three losses. UCSD,
which had won four of five coming in, falls to 4-7 on the year and 2-2 in
conference.
The Lumberjacks have
quickly become a major thorn in the Tritons' side, defeating UCSD three straight. HSU out-dueled UCSD in both the CCAA Tournament
Semifinals and NCAA West Regional First Round in 2009-10 and erased a 13-point
deficit to take the first meeting of the year this season on Sunday.
DeWitt led five
players in double figures for the Lumberjacks, finishing 10-of-13 from the
field and 5-of-5 at the free throw line, while Williams hit 5-of-10 on threes and finished 6-for-15 overall. Jenna Hamilton scored 17 points
and dished out 10 assists, while Bree Halsey and Lisa Petty finished with 12
points apiece.
Carlisle carried much
of the offensive load for UCSD, scoring her 29 on 12-of-28 shooting. She
also finished with nine rebounds, five assists and a career-high-tying six
steals. Osga finished 8-of-19 from the field, while also tallying six boards
and five assists. Daisy Feder finished with 16 points off the bench, while
Nicole Anderson-Jew put in a season-best 13.
Carlisle hit a jumper
to give UCSD a 61-48 lead with 12:30 remaining in the second half, but HSU
answered with a huge run over the next 10 minutes, outscoring the Tritons 20-3
over that span to take a 68-64 advantage with 2:18 left to play.
The Lumberjacks led
73-68 following a Williams' triple with 1:12 on the clock, but Carlisle
answered with a three on the other end and Osga followed with a driving layup
that tied the score with 20 seconds left. Williams' jumper at the end of
regulation missed the mark, sending the game to overtime.
UCSD took a 79-77
advantage on a three by Anderson-Jew two and a half minutes into the first OT, but
Hamilton got to the rim and came up with the tying bucket with 29 seconds left.
Feder had a decent look at the game-winner on the final play, but her shot was
a touch long.
It was all Humboldt
in the second overtime, as the Lumberjacks scored the first five points to lead
84-79 with 3:45 left. UCSD cut the deficit to 84-82 on a three-point play by
Erin Grady less than a minute later, but Halsey followed with a layup on the
other end and the Tritons would get no closer than two the rest of the way.
Williams and Petty
hit two free throws apiece to give HSU a 92-85 lead with 15 seconds on the
clock and Osga drained her second three for the final margin.
The Lumberjacks shot
45% (34-76) for the game, while the Tritons finished at a 38% (30-80) clip. HSU
held a 57-45 rebounding advantage and outscored UCSD 46-24 in the paint.
UCSD was in control
for much of the first period, leading by as many as 13 before taking a 46-36
lead into the locker room at halftime. The Lumberjacks cut the deficit to six
(46-40) early in the second period, but the Tritons would score six straight to
lead by 13 before the big run.
UCSD is now 0-3 in overtime
games this season following losses to Grand Canyon on November 14 and Cal State
Monterey on December 3. All three games have gone at least two overtime
periods.
The Tritons will
return to the court after the holidays when Sonoma State comes to town on
Thursday, December 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at RIMAC Arena.
