Sports Editor
Senior forward Aja Williams led the CSU Bakersfield women’s basketball team Saturday, Jan. 27 at home, to topple Seattle University 75-68.
Williams totaled 23 points, three assists and two blocks against the Redhawks (10-11, 4-2), in a game that the Roadrunners (10-10, 4-2) never trailed.
CSUB sits second in Western Athletic Conference, tied with Grand Canyon University. GCU won over Utah Valley University, Saturday, Jan. 27.
She knew scouting preseason Western Athletic Conference player of the year Alexis Montgomery would be hard. “We just had to come together, rebound and crash rebounds. We had to crash the boards,” said Williams.
The Roadrunners (10-10, 4-2) hit their sweet spots in the first quarter. They scored 35 points, the most in any quarter in 3 years.
The Redhawks improved their showing in the second half, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter. Yet, the Roadrunners’ defense held off the Redhawks to earn their fourth WAC victory.
Offensive execution by CSUB was important in the win against the Redhawks, who had their four-game winning streak broken in the Icardo Center.
CSUB had 30 points in the paint and were 10-for-28 at the three-point line.
“This is huge. Puts us in a great spot,” said CSUB head coach Greg McCall. “Seattle is a tough team. Alexis Montgomery showed why she’s MVP of this conference. She’s a tough match-up,” noted McCall. Montgomery scored 28 points for the Redhawks in the Icardo Center.
McCall said that the win was a collective effort and that their game plan on Montgomery was to defend her with sophomore guard Kate Tokuhara, senior guard Alzie Lofton and Williams.
“This is a great win for us. We’re excited by it,” said McCall.
The engine of the Roadrunners in the win was redshirt-junior guard Jazmine Johnson.
“My goal is to get a triple-double,” said Johnson after the win. That’s nearly what she did against the Redhawks with 10 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds.
McCall said Johnson had a controlled game Saturday against Seattle.
Next, in WAC play, the Roadrunners travel to Chicago State University on Thursday, Feb. 1, followed by a visit to the University of Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday, Feb. 3.
CSUB returns home for the Golden Game, Thursday, Feb. 8, to take on New Mexico State University, 7 p.m. at home.
