Ryan ChartrandThe Cal Poly women’s basketball team secured a 71-55 win over Cal State Northridge in its regular-season finale Saturday in Mott Gym on Senior Night to earn the No. 5 seed in the Big West Conference Tournament.
In the final home game of their careers, the victory was especially sweet for seniors Kyla Howell, Sparkle Anderson, Nicole Yarwasky and Toni Newman.
“It’s bittersweet,” Yarwasky said. “This has been a big part of our life in college and it’s all starting to wind down.”
Three players reached new benchmarks in their careers during the game.
Junior forward Megan Harrison became the first Mustang to compile 400 points and 200 rebounds in a single season in 21 years, while Anderson played in her 115th collegiate game, a program record.
Freshman forward Kristina Santiago was 7 of 15 from the floor to lead the Mustangs (11-18, 8-8 Big West) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. She also had team highs of five steals and two blocks while amassing her fourth career double-double.
A pair of free throws by Cal State Northridge senior center Katie Holloway pulled the Matadors within 55-50 with 5:22 remaining, but the Mustangs closed the game on a 16-5 run.
Cal Poly lagged behind Cal State Northridge for the beginning of the first half until a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Shannon Gholar gave the Mustangs a 19-17 advantage with 9:31 remaining.
They wouldn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the half, which they led 31-28 at the break.
A Holloway jumper tied the game at 40 with 11:11 left, but Yarwasky hit a 3-pointer on the next possession, and Cal Poly never ceded the lead.
Harrison made 9 of 13 free throws en route to 14 points and 10 rebounds for Cal Poly, and sophomore forward Rebecca Tratter was 5 of 11 from the floor while adding 12 points and five rebounds in just 18 minutes.
Holloway was 8 of 11 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the charity stripe while accruing a game high 26 points.
“She, obviously, is key to their performance and they look for her all of the time,” Cal Poly head coach Faith Mimnaugh said. “We forced a lot of turnovers that gave us the upper hand. She still had a tremendous game, but overall we did a reasonably good job.”
Junior guard Tonicia Tademy was 6 of 15 on her way to adding 12 points, six rebounds and five assists in a complete 40 minutes in defeat.
Although they shot a better percentage from the floor, the Mustangs held a 46-36 rebounding advantage while distributing 17 assists to the Matadors’ nine.
Cal State Northridge (1-26, 0-16 Big West) joined Colgate (1-29) and Sam Houston State (1-28) as the only teams in the country with one win; Fordham finished 0-29.
The Matadors made just 8 of 25 shots in the second half and missed 14 of their 15 attempts from 3-point range for the game.
The Mustangs, meanwhile, despite being eliminated from contention for a first-round bye in the tournament with their 78-62 loss to Long Beach State on Thursday, are happy to be heading to the postseason on a positive note.
“It’s good momentum for our team and it pumps us up,” Santiago said. “We want to get another win.”
Cal Poly’s first game at the Big West Tournament, which is held in Anaheim until Saturday, is at noon Wednesday against UC Irvine (7-23, 3-13). The Mustangs easily swept the Anteaters this season, routing them 92-55 at home on Jan. 12 and then emerging 84-65 on the road Feb. 7.
“All of us in our conference have vendettas out for each other,” Yarwasky said. “I think any team we play is going to be a battle to say the least. We are pretty feisty girls and people know that about us.”