Panthers sweep Tigers to keep playoff hopes alive

ORANGE, Calif. –The Chapman University women's basketball team snapped its two-game losing streak with an 81-68 victory over Occidental College on Saturday at the Hutton Sports Center. The season sweep over the Tigers kept the Panthers playoff hopes alive by allowing them to remain in the Top-4 in SCIAC.

Chapman freshman G Jaime Hum-Nishikado hit four triples for a career-high of 17 points on Saturday.

The Tigers jumped on the board first going on a 9-2 run three minutes into the first half, but the Panthers battled back going on a 13-6 run at the 9:36 mark to tie the game up 15 all. The Panthers continued their momentum from there, allowing back-to-back three-pointers from Hum-Nishikado at the 4:26 minute mark to give the Panthers a 32-19 lead. Chapman finished the half leading 45-26.

The Panthers then took their biggest lead of the game (26 points) seven minutes into the second half to make the score 59-33. Senior guards Andrea Villanueva and Lynne Higashigawa both recorded seven points in the second half to keep the Panthers on top. Villaneuva finished the game with 14 points for the Panthers.

Chapman recorded 41 points from off the bench and recorded a game-high of 45 rebounds. Senior Ivory Hallstein and junior Natalia Ebrahimian recorded seven rebounds each contributing to the Panthers 15 second-chance points.

Chapman (10-11 overall, 7-4 SCIAC) will play its next two-games at home, hosting Whittier College (9-10 overall, 5-6 SCIAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hutton Sports Center, followed by Bethesda University on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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