SEASIDE, Calif. — Opening 2017 at home, the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team welcomed CCAA-leading UC San Diego into the Kelp Bed on Thursday night. While CSUMB held the Tritons to 20 percent shooting in the first half, the Otters could not rely on defense alone.

Monterey Bay led by as many at seven points in the first quarter, but UCSD stayed close for the entire game. CSUMB and UCSD were tied at 50-50 with 6:40 remaining as a see-saw affair took place featuring ties of 52, 54, 56, 58 and finally 60 all.

The Otters had a 1-point edge when McKenna Hill (Ventura, Calif.) stepped to the line. However, Hill missed both free throws allowing UCSD's Joleen Yang to make two on the other end, giving the Tritons the 1-point edge and eventual 63-62 win.
 

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THE GAME WAS STATISTICALLY OVER WHEN… CSUMB was able to get a final shot off in the final six seconds, but Aubri Smith's (Ventura, Calif.) off-balance shot did not fall

SEASON-HIGH: Hill led the Otters in scoring and set a season-high 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting. She has now reached double figure scoring seven times this season. This is her first 20+ point game

LEADERS OF THE RAFT… POINTS: Hill -- 22; REBOUNDS: Courtney Keaton (Bishop Montgomery HS) -- 10; ASSISTS: Victoria Dorn (Seaside HS), Smith -- 3; BLOCKS: Keaton, Smith -- 1; STEALS: Hill -- 4

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… Cal State Monterey Bay will have a day of rest before host Cal State San Marcos in a Saturday matinee beginning at 1:30 p.m.