Cal State Fullerton senior Rochelle Ortega scored 14 points, including
the game-winning basket with 38 seconds left to lead the Titans to a 66-65
victory over host Cal State Northridge on Saturday night in the Big West
Conference women's basketball opener at The Matadome.
The Titans improved to 1-9 overall and 1-0 in league play, winning their
conference opener for the second consecutive season. Fullerton defeated
Cal Poly, 84-76, in overtime last season at Titan Gym. It is the first
time the Titans have won back-to-back conference openers since the 1989-90
and 1990-91 seasons.
The Matadors fell to 1-8 overall, 0-1 in the Big West.
Aside from Ortega, senior Tamara Quinn chipped in a team-high 15 points
and seven rebounds while junior Meghann Keathley added a career-high 13
points and seven assists for Fullerton, which scored 60 points in a game
for the first time since a loss to Alabama State on Dec. 7. Sophomore
Amber Pruitt grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Fullerton.
The Titans were blistering the nets all night, shooting .591 from the
floor for the game and 60 percent from the field in the first half.
Three Matadors reached double-figures led by Ofa Tulikihihifo's 18 as
LaJoyce King added 14 and Kim Gildersleeve chipped in 10 points. Northridge
shot just 34.8% (24-69) from the field and attempted 25 more shots from
the floor than Fullerton.
Northridge, which forced 27 Fullerton turnovers,
held a one-point lead (37-36) at halftime after trailing by as many as
eight points early in the game. The Matadors went down 16-8, but went
on a 23-6 run to go ahead by nine with 4:28 to go in the half.
In a tightly contested second half, the largest lead for either team was
three as Northridge held a three point lead twice in the last three minutes
only to see Fullerton answer each time. A King jumper with 2:34 to go
gave the Matadors a 62-59 lead, but the Titans converted a layup from
Ortega to close to 62-61.
Northridge's Jazelle Burries then converted a running jumper in the lane
giving the Matadors their last lead (64-61) with 2:02 remaining. Quinn
then came down and hit a three-pointer from the corner tying the score
64-64 with 1:43 left.
Northridge then missed its next shots converting only a King free throw
and Fullerton got a basket from Ortega with 38 seconds left for the winning
margin.
Cal State Fullerton closes out the week on Monday night (Jan. 5) at 7
p.m. with a road contest at Pacific. The Titans will look to post their
first 2-0 start in conference play since 1997-98.
