Double double-doubles not enough in SCIAC semi loss
CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Chapman University women's basketball team fell 75-62 to the second-seeded Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens in the SCIAC semifinal. Senior Jaryn Fajardo ended her career with a double-double with junior Marissa Dunn also posting a double-double.
The Panthers (16-10) dominated the first quarter to open up a 14-point lead but saw that lead disappear in the second quarter with a lengthy Pomona-Pitzer run. The Sagehens maintained control in the second half and pulled away in the fourth for the win.
Fajardo scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to post her fifth double-double of the season. She ended the game with 13 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and a steal. Dunn scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with three assists.
Junior Lucy Criswell scored 11 points and sank a three-pointer to surpass former teammate Jaime Hum-Nishikado for the most in a single season. Criswell drained 80 threes this season.
The Panthers came out on fire, shooting 56 percent in the first half to take a commanding 22-8 lead. As quickly as the lead was built, it disappeared in the second quarter. The Panthers were held scoreless for the first eight-plus minutes of the second quarter as the Sagehens took a 25-22 lead. Freshman Julianna Campas' three-pointer tied the game back up at 25-25 and the Panthers went into halftime knotted at 27-27.
The Sagehens kept the momentum in the second half, shooting over 55 percent in both the third and fourth quarters. With the game tied at 51-51 at the midway point of the third quarter, the Sagehens went on a 10-4 run to end the quarter and never relinquished the lead.
The Panthers turned the ball over 20 times in the game while the Sagehens had just 10 turnovers, equating to an 18-5 advantage for Pomona-Pitzer in points from the turnovers.
Freshman Madison Shigeta also scored in double figures for the Panthers, going 5-for-6 from the floor for 10 points. Renae Tamura led the Sagehens with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Panthers season comes to an end after a seventh consecutive trip to the SCIAC Postseason Tournament and the second year in a row with the SCIAC Athlete of the Year.
The Sagehens advance to the championship game to face top-seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday.