Local roundup: Cal women ride hot start to lopsided win
PennWest California reeled off the first 23 points of the game on the way to a 91-64 victory over Slippery Rock in the PSAC West women’s basketball regular-season finale for both teams at the Convocation Center on Saturday.
Hope Hawkins led the way for the Vulcans with 22 points to go along with seven rebounds.
Cal got baskets from four different players — Kimaya Williams, Hawkins, Kennedy Bankett and Trinity Balog — to start out the game and led 23-0 when The Rock finally got on the board with a 3-pointer by Mairan Haggerty with 2:13 left in the opening quarter.
The Vulcans (9-11, 13-17) led 49-21 at halftime.
Bankett finished with 19 points and six assists and Cal also got 18 points with four 3-pointers and five assists from Balog and nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists from Williams.
Kayley Joseph-Bernard had a game-high 26 points for Slippery Rock (5-15, 7-19).
Cal, which finished fifth in the PSAC West, was set to play a first-round game against Edinboro on Monday in the PSAC Tournament.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SLIPPERY ROCK 81, PENNWEST CALIFORNIA 64 — Elijah Hill and Isaac James both recorded double-doubles and The Rock out-scored California 43-28 in the first half on the way to a PSAC victory at the Convocation Center.
Hill totaled 18 points and 11 rebounds and James racked up 17 points and 10 boards
Slippery Rock (10-10, 17-11) dominated on the glass with a 52-34 edge in rebounds.
Dalman Alexander paced the Vulcans (16-4, 19-8) with just 13 points and Bryson Lucas added 12.
Cal (16-4, 19-8), which already had second place in the conference locked up, has a first-round bye in the PSAC Tournament and will host either Shepherd or Lock Haven in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.