The Cal State LA women’s basketball team clawed its way out in the second half — after trailing in the first — defeating Humboldt State during a home game last Saturday. 

The final score was 80-74, allowing the Golden Eagles to claim a third victory in a row. 

The Lumberjacks achieved the biggest lead of the game, 27-17, at the start of the second quarter, going on a 10-0 run with the Golden Eagles unable to score until the last five minutes of the quarter. 

The Golden Eagles pushed back its rivals, beginning the third quarter with a 6-0 run.

Three minutes till the end of the quarter two consecutive 3-pointers by the Lumberjacks had the Eagles down again for a moment. The Eagles trailed back with two layups in the paint by senior forward Jo Ana Adams and senior center Rachel DiRegolo in the agonizing fifty seconds of the quarter prevailing 55-54.  

Adams said the eagles game out of the locker room during halftime knowing “it was a must-win game.”

“We came out ready to win and we all knew that we had to come out on fire and just get our defense together… we were tough and hustling after the ball,” Adams said.

The home team maintained the higher ground for most of the final quarter. A 3-pointer from the rivals threatened a comeback, tying the game 61-61. Two free throws by junior guard Alyssa Fisher clinched the victory for Cal State LA.  

About the collective effort put by the team, head coach Torino Johnson said, “There’s so many players that did different things. I would just highlight the team defense. That’s just not one person, it was everyone that was able to step out on the floor that was able to be in the right position to help guard the person making the play.” 

DiRegolo, who had four defensive rebounds and seven offensive rebounds, achieved a double-double, scoring 18 points and making her the second top scorer of the game behind guard Sydney Bordonaro with 20 points. 

Fisher carried off her best record of assists in the season with her 11 assists in the game. 

Cal State LA scored 46 points in the paint against 24 from Humboldt State. The team also finished 30-58 on field goals and a perfect 16-16 on free throws.

The team will have less than a week until it faces Chico State next Saturday Jan. 25. “So this is a good time for us to get some rest and get a chance to focus on us and get better,” Johnson said.