It's all Panthers in 46-point victory over Slugs

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's basketball team won for the 15th time in its last 16 games, defeating visiting U.C. Santa Cruz 86-40 in a Saturday matinee at the Hutton Center. The 46-point margin of victory is the Panthers' second-largest this season, having defeated Finlandia (Mich.) by 54 points in November.

This one was all Chapman (16-4), which led from start to finish. The Panthers scored the first 10 points of the game, a run capped by a basket from senior G Kelli Yamamoto at the 16:23 mark in the first half. U.C. Santa Cruz (3-16) cut the Chapman lead to five points on a three-pointer from Danielle Mofsowitz a minute later, but that was as close as the Banana Slugs would get the rest of the afternoon.

Chapman eventually pushed their first-half lead to 24 points on a bucket from senior G Tara Glennon with 2:36 left in the half and the Panthers maintained that lead with a 40-16 advantage at the break.

The second half was more of the same. Chapman built a 30-point cushion on two of senior C Brandi Hood's 15 points early in the period. Then with 10:35 left in the game, the Panthers pushed the lead to 40 on another basket by Glennon, who finished with a game-high 16 points on 7 of 8 shooting from the field.

For Chapman, senior F Simone Ibbotson scored 11 points and freshman F Stephanie Servin pitched in 10 off the bench.

The Panthers were forced to the free throw line 38 times, making 29. The Chapman defense forced 40 Banana Slugs turnovers, including 21 steals by the Panthers.

Chapman plays three of its next four games at home, where the Panthers are currently 8-1, before finishing the regular season on the road. They will host Southwestern College (Ariz.) on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Hutton Center.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/boxscores/20110122_qwr9.xml