Dec. 11, 2004

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Loyola Marymount women's basketball team fell to Cal Poly 66-59 this afternoon in San Luis Obispo. The Lions turned the ball over 24 times, including several times in the final minutes as they were attempting to cut into the Mustang lead. Valerie Ogoke registered her first career double-double, scoring a career-high 14 points and grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds. The Lions fall to 4-4 on the season with their second straight loss, while Cal Poly improves to 5-1 this year.

The Lions jumped out to a 11-0 lead, shooting 5-for-6 from the field to start the game. The Mustangs missed their first eight field goals, finally getting on the board at 16:23 when Sparkle Anderson hit a free throw to make it a 11-1 game. Cal Poly then went on a 8-2 run to make it a four point game, 13-9. The Lions were 1-for-4 with several turnovers during the run, and the Mustangs were able to take advantage.

The Mustangs took their first lead of the game at 8:25 when Courtney Cameron hit two free throws to give Cal Poly a 16-15 lead. For a 10 minute span in the first half, the only Lion to score was Jacquelyn Woods. The senior forward scored six points during the 10 minute span to keep LMU in the game. At 6:33, the Mustangs held a 18-17 lead when Woods was called for a blocking foul, and then a technical foul. The fouls jump started thestagnant Lions offense, as Valerie Ogoke was able to score the next six LMU points.

Turnovers hurt the Lions in the first half, as they recorded 15 turnovers and just two steals. LMU shot well from the field in the first half, hitting almost 43% of its shots (12-for-28). Mary Turner had five turnovers in the first half. Woods and Ogoke led the Lions with six poinst in the first half. Ogoke and Turner had five rebounds for LMU. Anderson led the Mustangs with nine points in the first half.

The Lions cut the lead to just one point early in the second half as Bianca Ziemann hit three three pointers to make it a 46-45 game. Ogoke had two inside baskets for the Lions early in the second half as well.

LMU tied the game 49-49 at 11:13 on a jumper by Rachael Ziemann, but Cal Poly answered with five straight points by Anderson. The Mustangs pulled ahead to a 61-54 lead with 3:53 remaining for their biggest lead of the game. After starting the game cold, Cal Poly's leading scorer Katy Paterson came alive late in the second half. She scored six points in the final minutes of the game to help the Mustangs hold on to the 66-59 win.

Turnovers kept the Lions from coming back late in the second half. The Lions had several key possessions end in turnovers and they could not make up the deficit.

Bianca Ziemann led the Lions with 15 points, including 10 in the second half, while Ogoke registered her first career double-double. She scored a career-high 14 points, and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. Anderson led the Mustangs with 17 points.

The Lions will return to Gersten Pavilion on Saturday December 18th when they host Utah at 2:00pm.

-GO LIONS-