Box Score
Cal State San Bernardino cooled off Saint Martin's hot-shooting Saints Tuesday night and captured a 63-53 victory over the Saints in a non-conference women's basketball game before 145 fans in Coussoulis Arena.
The victory improved the Coyotes to 5-2 on the season as they take a holiday break before resuming CCAA conference play on Jan. 2 at Chico State. The Saints dropped to 6-4 on the season and will play at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday before heading home to Lacey, Wash.
Leading scorer Krystal Urzua had 15 points and five assists to lead the CSUSB win while Kymberly Ooten came off the bench to score 14 points and collected five rebounds. Morgan Pryor played her best game of the season, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists.
Dara Zack, Saint Martin's leading scorer, had a game-high 25 points, hitting nine of 14 field goal attempts and seven of 10 free throws to go with six rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal. Krissy Bassett had 16 points, hitting five of six from the field and six of eight free throw tries before fouling out with 4:12 left in the game. Bassett had five rebounds and a blocked shot.
The victory was especially sweet for Head Coach Kevin Becker of the Coyotes, who rang up the 200th win of his 14-year coaching career at Cal State San Bernardino.
The Saints, who came into the game shooting 48 percent from the three-point line, made just one of eight bombs against the tenacious Coyotes defense and finished the game shooting well otherwise, hitting 49 percent (18 of 37).
The Coyotes shot 42 percent (23 of 55) and were five of 12 from downtown (42 percent). The Saints outrebounded CSUSB 33-25.
Saint Martin's took an early 4-0 lead and was ahead 19-16 with 8:02 left in the first half but Brittany Groves and Tiara Richardson hit back-to-back baskets to give the Coyotes a 20-19 advantage. The teams were tied at 23-23 on a pair of free throws by Zack with 2:23 left in the half.
However, CSUSB finished the half on a 6-1 run on baskets by Ooten, Urzua and Nikki Boone to take a 29-24 lead to the locker room.
The Coyotes pulled away to a 36-28 lead early in the second half on a jumper by Urzua and took a 10-point lead at 46-36 on a layup by Ooten with 11:58 to go. Four minutes later the Coyotes enjoyed a 13-point bulge at 53-40 on a pair of free throws by Pryor.
The Saints crept back to within six at 55-49 on a free throw by Zack with 2:45 left but a layup by Pryor with 2:20 left and two free throws by Lisa Takata (six assists) sealed the deal with 1:47 left in the game.
