Cal Lu eliminates Panthers with 15-point loss in SCIAC semis

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Chapman University women's basketball team's season came to a disappointing end on Thursday night with a 76-61 loss to host Cal Lutheran University in the semifinal game of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament at Gilbert Arena.

The tournament's No. 2 seed Cal Lutheran (19-7 overall) advances to the SCIAC finals against top-seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.

The Regals pulled away midway through the second half, using a 17-2 run to build a 22-point lead - the largest of the game at 61-39. Chapman (13-13 overall) cut the lead to 12 in the final minutes, but that was as close as it got.

Third-seeded Chapman was forced to play from behind the entire game, falling behind early and by as many as 12 in the first half. The Panthers cut it to seven at the intermission thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by freshman G Jaime Hum-Nishikado. Hum-Nishikado finished with 11 points, including three three-pointers.

The Panthers were led by senior PG Andrea Villanueva who scored 13 points, six rebounds and four steals in the final game of her career.

Four Regals scored in double figures, led by Chelsea Jacoby's double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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