SRJC 56, Fresno City College 75
In their second game of the Fresno City College Crossover, the Bear Cubs (8-0) played the host Rams (8-2), who defeated Sierra College 86-74 the previous afternoon. The Rams came out shooting and swishing with confidence, scoring 10 points in the opening three minutes, while the Bear Cubs missed all of their attempts. Reese Searcy drew a shooting foul at the 6:57 mark and made one free throw. The Rams sank another field goal before Ciarah Michalik was fouled on a drive. She made just the first free throw. The Rams swished another 3-pointer and a 2-pointer before Reese Searcy again went to the free throw line. She made just the second free throw to put the Bear Cubs' deficit at 3-15 at the midpoint of the quarter. The Rams scored another 3-pointer and a 2-pointer. After missing their first 10 shots, the Bear Cubs finally made one—Reese Searcy's 3-pointer with 3:30 on the clock—to put the score at 6-21. The Rams sank two more 3-pointers and Ashleigh Barr a 5-footer with 14 seconds left to end the quarter with the Rams ahead 27-8.
The Rams started the second quarter with a 7-0 run before the Bear Cubs scored six unanswered points on Lucca Lowenberg's cut and assist from Ashleigh Barr, Reese Searcy's two free throws, and Sheriene Arikat's layup on a pick-and-roll play with Lanie Lincoln. Mikayla Duran's 3-point play ended the Bear Cubs' streak. Rose Nevin's putback was followed by Alex Ditizio's layup off of Sheriene Arikat's assist. The Rams added one free throw, and then Reese Searcy made one. During the remainder of the period Kelsey Delgado sank two 3-pointers. Meanwhile Lanie Lincoln and Lucca Lowenberg both swished a 3-pointer and Ashleigh Barr put in a 4-footer off of Ciarah Michalik's assist with four seconds left to end the half in a 27-44 hole.
Delgado swished her fourth 3-pointer of the contest to start the scoring in the third quarter. Ciarah Michalik's pull-up jumper from 8 feet out got the Bear Cubs' scoring going. During the next four minutes Ashleigh Barr made two baskets in a row from four then six feet, and Reese Searcy scored on a drive, while the Rams tallied four field goals to make their lead 55-35. The Rams ended the quarter with a 3-pointer by Delgado, one free throw by Mikayla Duran, and three field goals. For the Bear Cubs, Alex Ditizio drained a 3-pointer, Rose Nevin sank a 6-footer, Sheriene Arikat banked in a layup on an assist from Lanie Lincoln, and Nevin cut across the key and was on the receiving end of Arikat's assist pass. By the end of the quarter the Rams' lead had grown to 65-44.
Alex Ditizio made a tough layup six seconds before Daeja Holmes' basket. The Bear Cubs scored six unanswered points on Rose Nevin's post move, Sheriene Arikat's layup off of Ditizio's assist, and Ashleigh Barr's putback with 6:40 on the clock. Katelyn Goforth made a layup and Holmes a 3-pointer before Sheriene Arikat's layup off of Meredith Gilbertson's assist with 2:50 left. Jasmine Heu made one free throw 18 seconds later. Lucca Lowenberg added the Bear Cubs' final two points on a drive across the key with 1:48 remaining. Delgado made one more basket 13 seconds later to complete the scoring in the Rams' 75-56 victory.
The Rams definitely capitalized on their home court advantage. In the first quarter they made 11 out of 17 shots (65%), five of them from beyond the arc. The Bear Cubs had their worst shooting quarter of the season as they made only 2 out of 19 shots (11%). The Bear Cubs were more successful in the second quarter, making 7 out of 16 shots (44%) and outscoring the Rams 19-17. For the game the Rams made 30 out of 67 shots (45%) and the Bear Cubs 23 out of 74 (31%). Five Fresno players scored in double figures—Kelsey Delgado with 19, Daeja Holmes 13, Jasmine Heu 11, Briajanae Wade and Jayla Green 10 each.
Only Reese Searcy and Ashleigh Barr scored in double figures for the Bear Cubs with 10 points each. Sheriene Arikat and Rose Nevin came off the bench and played well, each scoring 8 points. Alex Ditizio and Lucca Lowenberg added 7 points each, and Ciarah Michalik and Lanie Lincoln 3 each. Ashleigh Barr led in rebounding with 8 and Meredith Gilbertson grabbed 7. Sheriene Arikat led in assists with 3. Reese Searcy made 4 steals.
The Bear Cubs had their best season start in program history, going undefeated through their first 8 games, before being outplayed by the Fresno CC Rams.