LOS ANGELES – Simon Fraser University held Cal State LA to six first quarter points and then went on to a 71-60 victory in a women's non-conference basketball game on Monday in the Eagles Nest.
It was the second straight road victory for the Clan, which improved to 2-3 on the season.
Simon Fraser led by 10 points at halftime, 33-23, but the Golden Eagles came back to take the lead briefly in the third quarter. SFU recovered to outscore CSLA in the final quarter, 29-21.
Simon Fraser did not score a field goal over the final seven minutes, but the Clan made 17 free throws down the stretch to pull away for the 11-point win.
Elisa Homer had a game-high 26 points for Simon Fraser. She was 5-of-10 from 3-point range and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Alisha Roberts had 18 points, including 11 from the free-throw line and
Ellen Kett had 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Simon Fraser was 17-of-48 (35.4 percent), but made 11 of its 24 attempts from 3-point range. The Clan also had a big edge at the free throw line, where they made 26-of-35 attempts to just 9-of-17 for the Golden Eagles.
Cal State LA was 22-of-62 from the floor (35.5 percent) and made just 7-of-20 from 3-point range. Chiara DiMarco led the Golden Eagles with 20 points and sparked the third-quarter comeback.
The game was a bit sloppy and the two teams combined for 54 turnovers, 30 of them by the Clan. Simon Fraser had a big edge on the boards, 48-32.
The Golden Eagles didn't score their first basket until nearly five minutes into the first period.
Cal State LA took its only lead of the second half at 37-35 with 4:49 remaining in the third quarter. After a 3-pointer by Kett gave the Clan a 38-37 lead, the Golden Eagles tied it with a free throw with 2:47 to go. Simon Fraser, though, scored the next four points and never trailed again.
Cal State LA trailed by only three, 42-39, entering the fourth quarter, but Simon Fraser scored the first nine points of the period and ultimately opened up a 54-40 lead after a 3-pointer by Homer.
The Golden Eagles made a strong push and got to within four points at 57-53 with 3:13 to go, but Simon Fraser hit its free throws down the stretch to extend the winning margin.
SFU will return to action on Sunday with a game against its alumni beginning at 2 PM in the West Gym.
The Clan opens conference play at home on December 3 against Alaska Anchorage followed by a home game Saturday, Dec. 5 against Alaska Fairbanks beginning at noon in the West Gym. The game on Dec. 5 is being billed as the West Gym Whiteout and the first 1,000 fans will receive an SFU 50th anniversary t-shirt.
--@SFUClan--
