Cal State Fullerton freshman guard Audrey Taylor tied
her career high with 11 points to lead a balanced offense as the Titans
defeated Cal State Northridge, 65-55, in a Big West Conference women's
basketball match-up on Thursday night at The Matadome.
Fullerton improved to 5-12 overall and 3-3 in the Big West, surpassing
last year's win totals in each category. The Titans have now won back-to-back
games for the first time since February 1998 and won on the road for the
first time this season. Cal State Northridge fell to 1-18 overall, 1-7
in league play.
The Titans' balanced offense saw every player but one who entered the
game score at least two points. Fullerton outshot Northridge .490 to .309
and held a slim, 41-37 advantage on the boards. Senior Heather Hansen
had seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Cal State Northridge was led by junior Brezya Rhodes, who had 16 points
and seven rebounds. Kristin Anderson, who entered the game averaging 6.0
ppg, had 13 points -- 12 of those in the first half.
After trailing by three points early through the period, the Titan offense
opened up a seven point advantage thanks to a 12-2 run to go up 22-15
with just under 10 minutes remaining in the period.
A 14-8 run by Northridge brought the Matadors to within one point at 30-29
and a pair of free throws by Markovich with 18 seconds remaining tied
the score at 32-32.
Fullerton regained the advantage in the waining seconds as Taylor drove
the lane and dished to a wide open Catherine Holman waiting under the
basket for the uncontested lay-up and a 34-32 halfhtime advantage.
Both teams traded baskets to open the second half as the score was tied
three times in the first six minutes of the period. Fullerton broke a
40-40 deadlock thanks to an 8-0 run -- four of those points by junior
Nikki Lee -- and force a Northridge timeout.
The Matadors closed to within three points on a free throw by Anderson,
but that would be as close as they would come the rest of the way. A 10-3
run over the next five minutes gave the Titans a 10 point advantage they
would never relinquish as Fullerton would lead by as many as 12 points
in the final two minutes en route to the victory.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Saturday
evening (Feb. 1) at 7 p.m. as the Titans travel to Pacific to take on
the Tigers. The game can be heard over the Internet on a tape-delayed
basis via Pacific's website immediately following the conclusion of the
Tigers men's game against Cal State Fullerton. Visit www.PacificTigers.com
for more information.
