ARCATA – Freshman Caitie Richards scored a career high 11 points, including three 3-pointers, as the Humboldt State women's basketball team defeated the Golden Eagles of Cal State Los Angeles 68-52 on Thursday night in Lumberjack Arena.

With the win the Jacks improve to 3-1 overall, 2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.  CSULA is now 0-3, 0-2 in CCAA action.

Box Score

The Jacks' Kayla Williams scored the games first basket, six seconds in to the game, and HSU never looked back. 

By the first media timeout, with 14 minutes, 36 seconds left in the half, the Lumberjacks had built a 12-point lead, 13-1, led by four points from freshman Kristen Huffman.

A Jazzi Johnson layup for CSULA, cut the lead to seven at 16-9, with 10 minutes, 28 seconds left.  The Golden Eagles would get no closer.  The Jacks went on a 10-2 run sparked by a Richards 3-pointer. Paige Peterson made a couple of free throws, converted on a three point play and Bree Halsey, who led the Jacks with 14 points, got a layup to push the Jacks advantage to 15 points, 26-11.

Richards' final three of the night, with just over one minute to go in the half, gave the Jacks a 19-point lead 40-21, which they took into the locker room.

CSU Los Angeles came out quickly in the second half, scoring the first six points led by Shatori Dearman, who was CSULA's leading scorer with 14 points.

HSU turned things right around.  Bree Halsey, score four of her team high 14-points in the run and with 15 minutes, 12 seconds left the Jacks had regained their 19-point advantage at 46-27.

A Lisa Petty layup with six minutes, 43 seconds to go gave HSU its largest lead of the night, 25 points, 61-36. 

However, the Golden Eagles would not go away, they went on a 12-2 run to cut the lead to 15 at 63-48 with 4:29 to go.  The teams traded buckets from that point on and HSU wrapped up its home opener 68-52.

“We had way to many turnovers and didn't rebound well,” said head coach Joddie Gleason.  “It's tough to beat good teams in our conference and we won't beat any good teams if we play the way played tonight.”

“It was a boring game in the second half.  We committed to many turnovers, to many fouls, not enough energy and we are a better team than that and we need to play better than we did tonight.  Fortunately we go the win, but we are really concerned with how we are playing right now.”