FRESNO, Calif. - In a thrilling home opener, the Fresno Pacific women's basketball team dished out a 68-49 win over Stanislaus State on Wednesday afternoon. The Sunbirds capitalized on 23 turnovers, converting them into 19 points, and maintained a strong defense with 11 steals. This marks the third straight win for the Lady 'Birds under head coach Tim Beauregard's leadership.

"I'm really proud of our group tonight," said Beauregard. "We're a very young team playing a lot of freshmen, and we're seeing real development as we head into league play. The PacWest is an extremely tough conference, so it's encouraging to see us growing and starting to form an identity on both ends of the floor."

Fresno Pacific opened play with a balanced effort, highlighted by Remni White's early 3-pointer at 8:40, which contributed to two lead changes in the first quarter. Despite Stanislaus State's slight offensive edge, the Sunbirds kept pace and remained close to the Warriors on the board. Kira Wilmurt's late defensive rebound and subsequent free throws with 9 seconds left narrowed the gap, ending the quarter with a 14–15.

The Lady 'Birds seized control in the second quarter with a pivotal stretch, highlighted by Mason Long's crucial 3-pointer at the 3:51 mark, which helped break a tie and finally push the Sunbirds into the lead. As one of the two returning seniors on the team, Angela Whitfield contributed significantly with a key layup at 1:53, extending their advantage. FPU's defense held strong, limiting Stan State to just two field goals in the quarter, while capitalizing on turnovers with four steals. The quarter concluded with the Sunbirds leading 31–21.

Taking charge, the Blue and Orange surged in the third quarter—freshman Sienna Evans' layup assisted by Nina Wisniewski ignited things at the 9:20 mark. This momentum continued as Whitfield contributed defensive rebounds and a timely assist for Long's three-pointer at 5:55, further widening the gap. Stanislaus State's turnovers allowed the Sunbirds to maintain pressure, concluding the quarter with a commanding 20–14 advantage. The teams headed into the hafltime with FPU triumphing over STAN, 51–35.

Fresno Pacific maintained control in the fourth quarter, sparked by a jumper from Long at 9:17 and a subsequent three-pointer by Wilmurth, assisted by Whitfield, increasing their lead. Although Stanislaus made valiant attempts to score, Fresno Pacific's defense limited their opponent to just three field goals. The quarter ended with the Sunbirds winning 68-49, securing the game with a solid 17-14 quarter advantage.

Long led the team with 16 points, converting four of five from beyond the arc. The Moreno Valley native currently leads the team with 3-point field goals, an impressive accomplishment for the freshman guard. Wilmurt contributed 12 points, making four of five field goals, including two 3-pointers. Aaliyah Seuell added eight points and recorded six rebounds. Whitfield collected six rebounds and tallied two steals.

"What I love most about this group is how together and selfless they are—we truly have an 'anybody, any night' mentality, and it was awesome to see so many people contribute tonight. It's a long season so we will continue to be where are feet are while continuing to chase the best version of our team. We'll enjoy a quick break to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families, then get back to work this weekend as we prepare for a challenging start to conference."

NEXT UP: The 'Birds are heading into PacWest Play! Biola is the first conference opponent the Sunbirds will face on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 5 pm, followed by a match against Point Loma on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 pm. Come down to the Special Events Center to cheer on your Sunbirds!

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