SRJC 53, San Joaquin Delta 76

For their first game of second round Big 8 play, the Bear Cubs (14-6, 5-3) hosted the Mustangs (13-7, 7-1) of San Joaquin Delta College, the top team in the conference. Ivy Gonzalez banked in the first basket of the contest on a drive from the left wing on the Bear Cubs' opening possession. The Mustangs were successful on two drives in a row before Kaia Eubanks caught Lindsey Arellano's lob pass next to the hoop to tie the score. The Mustangs again scored on two baskets in a row and then Kaia Eubanks added two points on a pair of free throws. Four Mustang 3-pointers gave them the lead for good at the 4:52 mark. Hailey Webb tossed in a 3-footer on a give-and-go play with Shasta Vlasak 18 seconds later, making the score 8-20. Aaliyah Youngblood swished her third 3-pointer 16 seconds after that. During the remainder of the period both teams added nine more points. For the Bear Cubs Abby Tacla sank a 12-footer, Gonzalez two free throws, Eubanks a 2-foot hook, and Arellano a 3-point play on a press breaking layup. By the end of the quarter the Mustangs were ahead 32-17.

Isabella Azzolino drained a shot from beyond the arc thirty-one seconds into the second quarter. The Bear Cubs made two shots in a row—Sydney Martin's layup as she dribbled the ball from the back court past multiple defenders and Shasta Vlasak's 1-footer after catching Martin's lob pass from the high post with 7:41 on the clock. The Mustangs scored eight unanswered points before Ivy Gonzalez made one free throw at the 2:07 mark. The Mustangs made one free throw 22 seconds later to extend their lead to 44-22. The Bear Cubs put together a 6-0 run on Kaia Eubanks' steal and layup, her 1-footer off of Lindsey Arellano's assist, and Gonzalez's 20-footer to end the half behind 28-44.

The Mustangs had the ball to start the third quarter and within 13 seconds Fajr Cuthbertson scored on a drive. On the Bear Cubs' first turn on offense, Sydney Martin pulled down an offensive rebound and dropped in the 2-footer. The Mustangs put in two more field goals, and then Martin scored from the low post at the 7:26 mark. Cuthbertson made one free throw, and then Hailey Webb drained a 3-pointer followed by Kaia Eubanks' 1-footer off of Webb's assist with 6:09 on the clock. During the next five minutes Isabella Azzolino and Kiara Council each sank a 3-pointer and Cuthbertson two free throws. Council intercepted a pass and banked in the layup with 31 seconds left. Cece Solano drew a shooting foul and made both free throws to end the scoring with the Bear Cubs behind 39-61.

Isabella Azzolino made one free throw 50 seconds into the fourth quarter. Sydney Martin answered with a 3-pointer and a 3-foot jumper. The Mustangs tallied the next eleven points before Cele Urzua drained a long 3-pointer at the 3:06 mark. Natalie Royer was fouled on a shot attempt and made one free throw. Cece Solano banked in a 4-footer with 1:16 on the clock. Aliyah Tipton's 3-pointer with 58 seconds left completed the Mustangs' scoring. Betzie Hernandez's 3-pointer with 36 seconds to go made the final score 53-76 in favor of the Mustangs.

The Mustangs were just too quick and too accurate with their outside shooting. The Mustangs only missed three shots in the first six minutes of the game, as they raced out to a 23-8 lead. They made twelve 3-pointers in the game, while the Bear Cubs made only four. Except for the first quarter, when they fell behind by 15, the Bear Cubs stayed within one or six points each of the remaining three quarters. The Bear Cubs committed 28 turnovers, so they were only able to attempt 49 shots. Three Mustangs finished in double figures in scoring: Kiara Council with 19, Fajr Cuthbertson 14, and Aaliyah Youngblood 10.