Berkeley, Calif - Austin Peay State University's women's basketball team fell 71-45 to California, Sunday, at the Haas Pavilion.
Austin Peay (3-6) held California (11-1) to just two points for the first three minutes of the contest, allowing the Govs to lead by six at 8-2. A 6-0 run from California gave them the lead at 10-8, but a jumper by La'Nya Foster tied the game at 10 with 4:26 left in the first frame. The two teams exchanged shots, but Cal's three-three-pointers and a layup within the quarter's final three and a half minutes allowed them to take a 21-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Govs opened up the second quarter by making three of three attempted field goals, cutting their trail to four at 23-19 with 8:22 on the clock. Cal extended their lead to as many as 17 at 42-25 with 2:23 remaining in the half, but a three-pointer by Anovia Sheals with 38 seconds left cut the Govs' deficit to 13 headed into the locker room.
A layup by Sa'Mya Wyatt 20 seconds into the third frame got the Govs within 12 at 42-30. Cal continued to extend their lead, with a free-throw by Gabrielle Abigor getting them a 20-point lead at 55-35 going into the final quarter.
The Golden Bears got up by as many as 29 at 70-41 with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Free throws by Wyatt and Anala Nelson ended the game, giving Cal the 71-45 win.
Next, the Govs will head to High Point, North Carolina, for a 1 p.m., Dec. 15 game against the High Point Panthers.
THE DIFFERENCE
Three-point shooting. Cal made 11-of-20 attempted three-pointers, giving them a 55.0 percentage. The Golden Bears had five threes in the first quarter and went four-for-four in the second.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sa'Mya Wyatt led with 15 points, marking her seventh consecutive game in double-figures.
- This was the fifth time she has been the leading scorer in Wyatt's career.
- Anovia Sheals had 11 points, her fifth consecutive game seeing double-figure scoring.
- La'Nya Foster led with six rebounds, marking her 10th career game as a leading rebounder and her fourth of the season.
- Foster also led with four assists, marking her eighth career game as an assist leader and her sixth of the season.
- The Governors outscored the Golden Bears 28-24 in the paint and 10-0 in second-chance points.