LOS ANGELES – It was never pretty, but the Humboldt State women’s basketball team took care of business in a 69-52 win against the Golden Eagles of Cal State Los Angeles on Saturday night and gave head coach Joddie Gleason her 100th career victory.
Gleason is the second women’s basketball coach to reach the 100-win plateau. Pam Martin, who coached the Jacks from 1988-2001, got her 100th win in her 195th game and finished her tenure at HSU with a 169-195 record. Gleason did it in just her 160th game. Her record is now 100-60.
The win improves HSU’s overall record to 14-4, 12-2 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. Cal State Los Angeles falls to 4-15, 2-12 in conference action.
Box Score
“I didn’t even know it was my 100th until I was told after the game,” Gleason said. “I don’t really focus on those types of things. We are preparing for each game and trying to scratch out as many wins as we can.”
The Jacks had to scratch this one out.
They shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half and although they took a 32-28 lead into the locker room, they trailed for most of the period.
An Andrea Bobic layup with 13:13 to play in the first tied the game at 11-11, but for the next six minutes the Golden Eagles took and held onto the lead. Pushing it out to as many as five points.
A Bobic three-point play briefly gave the Jacks a one-point lead with just under five minutes to go, but the Golden Eagles came right back. It wasn’t until the last two minutes that a three pointer and jumper by Luiza Osborne, sandwiched around a CSULA free throw, sent the Jacks to half time with a four-point lead.
In the second period HSU built an early six-point lead before watching CSULA come back and take a one-point advantage with 15:51 to play. The Golden Eagles stretched their lead to six points, their largest of the game.
At the 10:28 mark an Osborne 3-pointer tied it at 47-47 and a Bobic trey gave HSU a lead they would push out to eight.
But, sloppy play by the Jacks kept the game tight, and the Golden Eagles closed to within three points, 55-52 with five minutes to play.
Brittney Taylor led a Humboldt State 14-0 run to end the game, scoring eight of her 17 points in the final minutes. Bobic hit a big 3-pointer down the stretch, part of her game high 20 points, as HSU won 69-52 and swept the season series.
“This didn’t seem like a 17-point win,” Gleason said. “It felt more like a two-pointer. We hade to scrap for everything tonight. We didn’t shoot well and got in foul trouble.”
The only other Lumberjack in double-digits was Osborne, who had 11. Bree Halsey, once again had a huge night on the glass, leading the Jacks with 13 rebounds.
HSU shot just 36 percent for the game and were outrebounded 45-39. “Tonight was just one of those nights,” Gleason added. “Some times you have off shooting games and you just start thinking about it too much.”
The Jacks forced nine more turnovers than they committed and outscored the Golden Eagles 32-20 off those miscues.
Cal State Los Angeles had two players who picked up double-doubles. Jazzi Johnson scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jordan Kuzma had 12 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.