Box Score

Jenay Herring led all scorers on Tuesday night with 22 points, but a 19-4 run to end the first half distanced #5 Westmont against Fresno Pacific in a 86-66 loss. Playing in front of their home crowd in Santa Barbara, the Warriors (26-2, 16-1 GSAC) clinched their first ever GSAC title despite FPU (13-16, 5-12 GSAC) holding GSAC player-of-the-year candidate Tugce Canitez to only 12 points.
 
FPU, meanwhile, despite the loss clinched a spot in the GSAC playoffs for the first time in three years. The Sunbirds are currently tied for seventh place with The Master's and hold a tiebreaker over ninth place Concordia because they swept the season series. The top eight teams go to the playoffs.

The Sunbird defense came in focused on stopping Canitez on the inside, who scored 30 points in the last meeting and averages 19 per game, forcing Westmont to beat them on the outside. The Warrior guards responded to this challenge by nailing nine threes on the night, proving to be the difference in the game.
 
FPU played tough early in the first half, grabbing a 13-12 lead with 10:37 to go following a Stephanie Larson inside bucket. Down by only five with 5:15 to play in the half following consecutive jumpers by Keairra White and Callie Kloubec, the Sunbirds surrendered the 19-4 run to go into halftime trailing 45-25.
 
In the half, the Warriors made eight threes and shot 53.3% from the field. Fresno Pacific played well on the inside however, outscoring the Warriors in the paint and holding Canitez to a mere four first half points.
 
Herring highlighted the second half, scoring 18 points as FPU tried to climb back into the game. Westmont would not budge, continuing to shoot the ball well from the floor totaling 48.5% for the night, keeping pace with Herring and the Sunbirds.
 
Alongside Herring, Keri Stephanoff totaled 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds and Callie Rohrbacker chipped in with 10 points off the bench in the loss.
 
The Warriors produced five players in double figures, led by 21 from Katie Kittle and 19 from Aubrey Lincoln as they totaled eight threes between the two. Canitez led the Warriors on the glass with 10 rebounds, giving her a double-double on the night.
 
Fresno Pacific closes out GSAC play on Saturday against Hope International at home with the game starting at 2:30 pm. HIU is in last place at 1-16 in conference play. The Sunbirds defeated the Royals earlier this season in Fullerton.