Box Score

     LA JOLLA -- Alaska Fairbanks had no answer for Cal State San Bernardino junior forward Kymberly Ooten who scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds, leading the Coyotes to a 64-48 win over the Nanooks on opening day of the UC San Diego Holiday Invitational Tournament.
    The victory improved the Coyotes to 4-1 on the season as they prepare to face Biola University at 5 p.m. Saturday at UCSD's RIMAC Arena on the final day of the tournament. Alaska Fairbanks is now 1-6 as they face the host Tritons at 7 p.m. Saturday.
     In the late game, the host Tritons downed Biola University 76-55.
     Ooten entered the contest averaging 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. She connected on 12 of 20 field goals, blocked a shot and made four steals in 33 minutes as the Coyotes enjoyed a 12-point lead at the half, 33-21, and never trailed in the contest.
      Senior guard Krystal Urzua, averaging 19.5 points a game coming into the game, finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and six steals in 34 minutes. Urzua drained three of four tries from the three-point line and made all four of her free throws.
      Senior guard Brittany Groves didn't score but she had a game-high five assists and five rebounds in 21 minutes. Junior forward Amanda Ragains had seven points, three rebounds and blocked three shots and assisted on two baskets.
       Lakeisha Levi came off the bench to lead the Nanooks with 15 points and seven rebounds. Nicole Bozek had 11 points.
       CSUSB shot 43 percent for the game (24 of 56) while Alaska-Fairbanks shot just 34 percent (14 for 41) and committed 26 turnovers, 14 of which came on steals by the defensive-minded Coyotes.
       It was the third time in five games that the Coyotes held their opponent under 50 points.
       The closest Alaska-Fairbanks got to CSUSB was at 5-4 with 17:01 left in the first half on a three-pointer by Alexandra Melanson. Urzua rebounded a missed Coyote shot and scored on the putback and Ooten followed with a jumper for a 9-4 edge and later built a 10-point lead on a three-point play by Ooten at the 3:15 mark to lead 26-16.
        An Ooten bucket early in the second half gave CSUSB a 16-point advantage at 41-25 with 17:23 left in the game. The lead stretched to 21 points with 5:27 left as Ooten's jumper gave CSUSB a 58-37 differential. CSUSB led by its biggest margin --  23 -- at 60-37 with 4:47 left as Urzua rebounded a Nanooks shot and hit a jumper at the other end.