THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The California Lutheran University women's basketball team outscored the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs 24-6 in the fourth quarter as the Regals came from behind and won their home opener, 53-43, Thursday night inside Gilbert Arena.
Cal Lutheran's Kiana Gray and Kayla Watterson led the Regals (3-1) with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Gray added 10 rebounds as she recorded the first double-double of her collegiate career. Watterson was a force in the fourth quarter and scored nine of her 11 points in the frame on 4-of-5 shooting. Grace Derksen contributed nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Danielle Roumbos, Rylie Wada and Kailee Yan each added key baskets down the stretch as the trio tallied five points apiece.
The Banana Slugs scored the first basket of the night off of a three-pointer from Kim Tom, but the Regals answered back with a couple of field goals. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm in the first quarter ending with a 12-10 UC Santa Cruz lead.
UCSC started off the second quarter with an 8-4 run giving them a little breathing room. Cal Lutheran created some opportunities by driving to the hoop and getting fouled, but UC Santa Cruz held them off taking a 28-20 lead at the half.
Gray led the Regals in the first half with 10 points and four rebounds. She was 3-4 at the free-throw line. The Banana Slugs spread their scoring out amongst eight players and Jocelin Petatan led the team with nine points and five rebounds.
The second half started out slow for both teams, and neither team seemed to find their footing throughout the quarter. UC Santa Cruz kept their distance as both teams scored nine points.
The Regals found their rhythm in the fourth quarter starting with a steal by Derksen under the basket and she put it in for an easy lay up. Roumbos drained a three-pointer on the next possession. Watterson and Nayiri Aslanian added a lay up apiece to bring the score within one (39-38).
A little bit later, a layup from Watterson gave the Regals their first lead of the night off of an assist from Roumbos. Derksen then added a steal, which led to a layup from Watterson. UC Santa Cruz was held scoreless for seven minutes after scoring the first two points of the final quarter. Yan and Watterson kept the scoring going and each added a three-point shot giving CLU a 12-point lead. The Regals' fourth-quarter offense helped them defeat the Banana Slugs 53-43.
The big fourth quarter helped the Regals erase an eight-point deficit as they coasted to a 10-point win. The Violet and Gold made 10-of-15 shots in the fourth and held the Banana Slugs to 1-of-11. The Regals also forced UCSC into five turnovers in the quarter.
Petatan and Tom led the Banana Slugs (2-3) with nine points apiece. Petatan led defensively as well with seven rebounds and two steals.
The Regals continue the season at home against La Verne in their first SCIAC game of the season on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 53, UCSC 43
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director / Makenna Pellerin (Sports Information Intern)