By Esteban Ramirez
Sports Editor
It was something that redshirt-senior guard Tyonna Outland had not experienced in her basketball career: hitting a game-winning shot for the CSU Bakersfield women’s basketball team.
On Feb. 21, CSUB (20-7, 9-3 Western Athletic Conference) junior forward Batabe Zempare tied the game 76-76 against University of Missouri-Kansas City with only six seconds left. Then senior guard Brooklynn Hinkens forced a turnover on the ensuing possession and redshirt-sophomore forward Erika Williams picked the ball up. As she went up to take the shot with three seconds left, she saw Outland get open and set the stage for her buzzer-beating shot.
“When I jumped in the air and saw the scoreboard, I was like ‘oh shoot,’” Williams said. “Then I saw Ty and I trust her so I got her the ball.”
Thanks to Outland’s first game winner, CSUB beat UMKC 78-76 in Kansas City.
“Honestly, I wasn’t thinking,” Outland, who finished with 22 points, said. “I just shot it and thought ‘well this is going to be the best shot we are going to get’ and I went up and it went in. “I was hyped. The team ran over and that made it just that much better. I was pumped and I couldn’t believe it that it went in because there was so many things that went wrong in that game. We just finished it really well.”
She added that it was a dream of hers to make a game-winning shot.
“I always dreamed of making one and when it happened I was like ‘wow,’” she said.
Outland made the shot with 1.9 seconds left in the game and gave the ’Runners their fifth consecutive win.
The game was close throughout and high scoring, but CSUB was down 45-40 to UMKC (6-20, 4-7 WAC) at halftime.
UMKC shot 64 percent in the first half to help them to that led, but in the second half CSUB bounced back, holding the Kangaroos to 42 percent. CSUB also shot 50 percent in the second half and outscored UMKC 38-31.
“I thought it was a gutsy performance,” CSUB coach Greg McCall said. “We really had to gut it out. We did a good job of executing and creating the turnovers when we needed it. It was a team that really wanted to win and it was a team that knows how to win when it comes down to those situations.”
McCall added that the team’s struggles on the road are a thing of the past.
“It’s definitely something we know we can handle,” he said. “It’s just about how we go out there and play how we are supposed to play.”
Outland added that she thought the team kept its composure throughout the game.
“We just stepped up to the challenge because UMKC played us pretty hard,” she said. “We just stayed composed and trusted each other the whole game. I felt like we played well.”
Williams finished with 21 points and Zempare added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
On Feb. 19, CSUB beat Chicago State University 87-53 in Chicago.
Zempare led the team with 14 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore forward Brittany Sims added 14 points. CSUB never trailed and coasted to an easy win behind 55.4 percent shooting for the game.
The ’Runners defense also had a strong game holding the Cougars to 37.5 percent from the floor.
“We always take learning experiences away from them,” McCall said. “We try not to put ourselves in those situations, but if they do arise we are prepared for them. We just need to go out and play.”
CSUB will put its 20 home-game winning streak on the line as it hosts Seattle University on Feb. 28.
