November 8, 2013
Hawkeyes 70 – Highlanders 56
Looking to start off the 2013-2014 season strong, the UC Riverside women’s basketball team competed in their first game of the Hawkeye Challenge against Iowa. Despite their convincing win against Cal Baptist in the preseason, the Highlanders were defeated 70-56 by the Hawkeyes on Friday evening.
The first 10 minutes of the game consisted of four tied scores with both teams jostling for a lead. At the 2:35 mark, Brittany Crain scored a three-pointer that would bring the Highlanders within one point, 27-26. Iowa, however, did not take long to respond as the home team went on to score the next eight points to close the half, 35-26. Hawkeye guard Samantha Logic scored five points during the span.
The Highlanders continued to push forward in the second half, but could not muscle their deficit to single digits. Backed by Logic’s hot hand, the Hawkeyes continued to lead for the rest of the evening as the home team ended the contest, 70-56.
Crain led UCR with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Simone DeCoud added 15 points and eight rebounds in her collegiate debut. Logic led all scorers with 28 points on 11-for-20 shooting for Iowa.
Riverside was successful in out-rebounding the Hawkeyes, 45-42, but the team was outscored 36-16 in the paint. Iowa also got out in transition early and often as they tallied 14 fast break points while UCR recorded zero.
November 9, 2013
Flyers 89 – Highlanders 54
After losing their first game of the season, UC Riverside’s women’s basketball team faced Dayton on Saturday afternoon. With lackluster three-point and free-throw shooting, the Highlanders lost 89-54.
The Flyers took an early lead as they rushed to a 19-10 advantage behind the three-point play of Dayton’s Casie Sant at the 12:00 mark. The Highlanders responded by scoring six of the next eight points, which reduced the Flyers’ lead to 21-16. Dayton continued to pile on the points as they used a 9-1 run as well as efficient free throw shooting to end the half, 49-29.
Entering the second half, Dayton increased the lead to 24 points. Though the Highlanders tried to catch up, they failed to do so. As the game continued, the Flyers’ lead never dipped below 22 points as they finished UCR off, 89-54.
Highlander Natasha Hadley scored 13 points while Kiara Harewood had 12 points and nine rebounds. Guard Brittany Crain added 10 points with three assists. Dayton’s Ally Malott led all scorers with 20 points and three assists.
The Flyers shot 51.4 percent on the night while the Highlanders shot only 34.4 percent. For the second consecutive game, UCR was outscored in the key (50-20) and did not tally one fast break point (12-0).
The Highlanders will need to go back to the drawing board before they face San Jose State and Santa Clara on Nov. 15 and 17.
