Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Women's Basketball team left no room for doubt as it closed out non-conference play with an explosive 91–24 victory over Cerritos College on Friday, January 16. With the win, the Mounties improved to 19–1 on the season, while the Falcons fell to 2–15. Mt. SAC also maintained its No. 1 ranking in the latest CCCWBCA state poll, a position it has held throughout the season.

Through 20 games, the Mounties have totaled 1,638 points, averaging 81.9 points per game, while allowing an average of just 48.9 points per contest (978 total), showcasing their dominance on both ends of the floor.

HOW IT HAPPENED:  

While Cerritos scored first off a layup from Emily Gonzalez, that early two-point advantage was short-lived. Elizabeth Udeze equalized with a layup, and Armani Owens followed with a jumper to give Mt. SAC a lead it would never relinquish. Lauryn Nakamura accounted for four of Cerritos' six first-quarter points, but the Mounties surged ahead with a 22-point opening frame. Udeze led the way with six points, supported by contributions from Dylan Tse, Taliyah McFerson, and Leiayjah Mills.

The Mounties continued to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring the Falcons 25–5. McFerson paced Mt. SAC with eight points and four rebounds in the period, while Journey Wilson added four points to keep the momentum rolling. Mt. SAC headed into halftime with a 47–11 advantage.

Coming out of the break, the Mounties only continued to dominate as McFerson opened the half with a layup and two free throws. Owens added a jumper, Tse knocked down a three-pointer and free throws, and Alexis Brown capped the run with a layup to extend the lead to 71–11. Cerritos finally broke through late in the quarter with a layup from Nakamura and two free throws by Maya Aceves.

Cerritos posted its best scoring quarter in the fourth, tallying eight points behind five from Nakamura, two from Aceves, and a free throw from Justine Lucero. Mt. SAC's reserves closed out the contest in strong fashion, led by Makayla Haddock's seven points and Taylor's five. Both connected from beyond the arc as the Mounties added 16 points in the final frame.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Field Goal Percentage: Mt. SAC 60.0% | Cerritos 22/2%
• Free Throw Percentage: Mt. SAC 90.0% | Cerritos 66.7%
• Rebounds: Mt. SAC 33 | Cerritos 15
• Assists: Mt. SAC 20 | Cerritos 3
• Turnovers: Mt. SAC 11 | Cerritos 31
• Points off Turnovers: Mt. SAC 52 | Cerritos 6
• Points in the Paint: Mt. SAC 58 | Cerritos 12

KEY PLAYERS:

• Taliyah McFerson: Game-high 22 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist
• Elizabeth Udeze: 19 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
• Dylan Tse: 13 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
• Lauren Nakamura (Cerritos): Team-high 12 points, 3 assists, 1 steal

NEXT UP:

The Mounties open up conference play on Wednesday, January 21, at 7:00 PM against East Los Angeles College (11-9). Make sure to come out and support the team as they begin their pursuit of the SCC North title.

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Women's Basketball on Twitter @MtSAC_WBKB or Instagram /mt.sacwbk/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.