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Allen Named NCAA Division II Player Of The Year
Cal Poly Pomona senior gets WBCA and Daktronics top honors

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Cal Poly Pomona’s Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) has been named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, the WBCA announced on Wednesday. She was also named the Daktronics Division II Player of the Year on Tuesday in balloting of the nation’s sports information directors.

Allen became only the second player in Division II history to win back-to-back national scoring titles. She led the nation in scoring in 2004-05 with 28.0 points per game and helped Cal Poly Pomona go 20-8 and reach the NCAA Division II playoffs.

She did it despite finishing the season in a great deal of pain. She suffered a separated shoulder in the first half of a game against Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 18. The Broncos were 0-2 in the next two games that she missed, but she returned well ahead of schedule and led the team to wins over Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Monterey Bay and into the postseason.

“We are extremely proud that Candice has been recognized with this honor,” Cal Poly Pomona Head Coach Paul Thomas said. “I think Candice falls right in line with all our previous Player of the Year honorees. She continues the tradition of all the great players who have put on a Cal Poly Pomona uniform. I can’t say enough about the job she did during her Cal Poly Pomona career.”

Allen becomes the sixth national player of the year from Cal Poly Pomona. She joins Jackie White (1983), Vickie Mitchell (1986), Debra Larsen (1987), Cathy Gooden (1989) and Lauri McIntosh (2002). The Broncos have won a record-tying five NCAA Division II championships and an unprecedented 48 NCAA Division II playoff victories.

“When I found out, I was shocked,” Allen said. “I was with my dad and we both jumped up and down. I think it’s awesome I’m one of six from Cal Poly Pomona, right after Lauri.”

Allen was in obvious discomfort as she concluded her Cal Poly Pomona career. She came off the bench to lead the Broncos to a come-from-behind win over Cal State San Bernardino and then had a big, 28-point performance to lead the Broncos past Cal State Dominguez Hills and all but guarantee a spot in the postseason for Cal Poly Pomona.

“That was the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” Allen said. “The pain was excruciating, but I wanted to do everything I could to help my teammates and get us into the playoffs. None of this would have been possible without them.”

This is the biggest of several honors Allen has received this season. She was named the Daktronics West Region Player of the Year and also earned first-team All-CCAA honors in voting done by the conference coaches.

“I know Candice was very excited when she found out about the honor and is very appreciate of the hard work and contributions of her teammates that made this possible,” Thomas said.

Allen becomes the second Cal Poly Pomona player to earn the Daktronics National Player of the Year award, joining McIntosh. That award began in 1995.

Bronco women fall in tournament opener, 77-59
First round loss is first since '98

SEATTLE -- Cal Poly Pomona's women's basketball team couldn't keep pace with one of the best offense teams in the country on Friday, falling to Chico State 77-59 in the opening round of the NCAA Division II women's basketball playoffs.

Cal Poly Pomona (20-8, 15-5) jumped out to an early 15-point lead, but Chico State (23-5, 16-4) roared back in the second half to claim a 77-59 victory at the Brougham Pavilion on the campus of Seattle Pacific University.

The Wildcats are the first team since UC Davis in 1998 to bounce Cal Poly Pomona from the first round of the postseason tournament.

Seniors led the way for Cal Poly Pomona. Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) , the leading scorer in NCAA Div. II, capped a remarkable two-year stint by tallying 19 points and four rebounds. Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State) tied a season high with 10 points in her final game in green and gold.

The Broncos also got a solid effort from Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Wayzata HS), who matched a career high with ten points, eight coming in the first half.

The Wildcats, seeded No. 3 in the West Region, came into the contest averaging nearly 90 points per game, second best in the nation. But it was the No. 6-seed Broncos who jumped out to a big, early lead.

Cal Poly Pomona led by 15 midway through the first half after Allen scored on a fast-break layup to make the score 26-11. The Wildcats clawed back to tie the game at 34 at halftime.

The score was tied at 42 four minutes into the second half when Chico State caught fire and tore off on a 19-0 run to go up 61-42.

Cal Poly Pomona cut the lead to 9 after a pair of free throws by Thomas with 6:30 remaining, but never drew closer as time wound down.

Chico State had four players score in double figures. Lauren Himmelspach led all scorers with a career-high 34. Wildcat guard Kim Abts dished 13 assists.

Even with the loss, Cal Poly Pomona remains the most successful Div. II program in the country.

The Broncos are tied with North Dakota State for most national championships won with five and hold the Division II standard with 48 postseason wins.

The Broncos are now 12-2 in their last 14 postseason games.

Broncos Receive Playoff Assignments
Cal Poly Pomona women headed for Seattle Pacific; men to Western Washington

POMONA -- For the second straight year, Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will both be competing in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The Cal Poly Pomona men, making a third straight playoff appearance for the first time in the program’s history, drew the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 Seattle Pacific in a first-round game on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Western Washington. The Broncos (21-6) are the California Collegiate Athletic Association co-champions and have earned their first CCAA title since 1981.

The Bronco women, meanwhile, the most successful program in the NCAA Division II, drew the No. 6 seed and will face CCAA champion Chico State in a first-round game on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Seattle Pacific, which is hosting the regional tournament for the third straight year. Cal Poly Pomona (20-7) finished second in the conference this year, one game behind Chico State. The Broncos have won five national titles, which is tied for the most in Division II and have won a Division II record 48 postseason games. Cal Poly Pomona will be making its 20th NCAA postseason appearance.

This is only the second time since the Cal Poly Pomona men’s and women’s teams have been competing in the NCAA Division II that both programs have received postseason bids in the same season.

Cal Poly Pomona’s men have rebounded strongly after starting the season with a 1-3 record that included season-opening losses to tournament host Western Washington and St. Martin’s and a home defeat to conference foe Sonoma State. The Broncos, though, won 20 of their next 23 games and earned a conference co-title for the first time in 24 years. Cal Poly Pomona’s last CCAA championship came in 1981 when the Broncos shared the crown with Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The Broncos have been led by the program’s top-two all-time leading scorers, Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) and David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS). Both were first-team All-CCAA selections last season and earned all-region honors as well.

The women, meanwhile, overcame a severe shoulder injury to the nation’s leading scorer, Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) late in the season and will making their eight appearance in the last nine years. Cal Poly Pomona has reached the Sweet Sixteen in four of the past five seasons, which is more than any other Division II program. Allen who did play in the Broncos’ final three games, leads the nation in scoring with 28.3 points per game.

NCAA Division II West Region
Women’s Basketball
At Seattle Pacific
Friday’s First-Round Games

No. 1 Seattle Pacific vs. No. 8 Montana State-Billings
No. 2 Western Washington vs. No. 7 Cal State Dominguez Hills
No. 3 Chico State vs. No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona
No. 4 St. Martin’s vs. No. 5 Cal State Bakersfield

Broncos Finish Regular Season With A Win
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats Cal State Monterey Bay

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team picked up its 20th win of the season Friday night, but it looks like it won’t be enough to claim a share of its unprecedented 19th California Collegiate Athletic Association title.

The Broncos posted an 82-67 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay Friday night and finished its regular season with a 20-7 overall mark and a 15-5 record in the CCAA. Chico State, though, knocked off Cal State Bakersfield and can wrap up its first conference title with a win at Cal State L.A. on Saturday.

Cal Poly Pomona will finish no worse than second place and enter the playoffs with a three-game winning streak. The Broncos will find out the playoff pairings Sunday night.

The Broncos prevailed Friday in a game that featured 64 turnovers and 51 personal fouls..
Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), playing despite an injured shoulder, led the Broncos with 22 points and seven rebounds. She also had to leave the game for several minutes in the second half after sustaining a bloody nose.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 13 points and five rebounds for the Broncos, while Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Iowa State) had nine points and three rebounds.

Tes Soracco had 13 points, five rebounds and two assists to lead three Cal State Monterey Bay players in double figures. Denise Sanchez had 12 points and four rebounds, while Natalie Franka had 10 points and four rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona honored its three seniors – Allen, Britt Sumida (Sr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) and Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State) – in ceremonies before the game. Sumida got the Broncos off to a strong start, hitting a game-opening 3-pointer that put the Broncos ahead for good. Thomas also had a productive game, scoring six points and leading the team with six steals.

Sumida’s 3-pointer to open the game put the Broncos ahead for good. The Broncos led by as many 15 points in the first half before settling for a 39-26 halftime lead.

Cal State Monterey Bay got as close as 11 points twice in the second half, but the Broncos held leads as large as 22 points down the stretch and kept a comfortable advantage for the final 20 minutes.

The Broncos will now wait until Sunday evening to find out the NCAA Division II playoff pairings. Cal Poly Pomona will be making its 20th postseason appearance and looking to add to its record 48 NCAA playoff victories.

Broncos Get A Clutch Win Over Toros
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team stays in title chase

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team picked up a win it needed Wednesday night and stayed in the chase for an unprecedented 19th California Collegiate Athletic Association title.

The Broncos held off a second-half rally by Cal State Dominguez Hills and defeated the Toros, 81-78, Wednesday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (19-7, 15-4) pulled into a second-place tie with the Toros, just one-half game behind conference-leading Chico State. The Broncos can claim a share of their 19th conference title with a win Friday against Cal State Monterey Bay and a loss by Chico State in its final two games.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), in her second straight heroic effort playing despite an injured shoulder, poured in a game-high 26 points, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) also had a big game, scoring a career-high 18 points and grabbing five rebounds.

Alana Bailey led Cal State Dominguez Hills (16-9, 14-5) with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Tameka Blue had 18 points and six assists. Jessica Liang had 13 points, while Octavia Askew scored 11 points and five rebounds.

The Broncos trailed by as many as five points early, but closed the first half with a 19-6 run to take a 38-30 halftime lead. Cal Poly Pomona enjoyed a 26-12 advantage in rebounds in the first half.

Cal Poly Pomona stretched its lead to 14 points, 57-43, with 11:38 to go, but Cal State Dominguez Hills steadily chipped away at the lead and finally tied the game, 69-69, on a pair of free throws by Askew with 2:58 to go.

Allen then hit a jumper and Perkins hit two free throws to put the Broncos ahead for good, 73-69. A 3-pointer by Blue cut the lead to one, 73-72, but Perkins answered with a 3-pointer with 55.2 seconds left to boost the lead back up to four.

A layup by Fletcher gave the Broncos a 78-72 lead with 21 seconds left and Cal Poly Pomona survived a pair of late 3-pointers by the Toros, the final one by Crystal Maciel at the buzzer.

Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) had eight points and five rebounds for the Broncos.

Cal Poly Pomona will conclude its regular season on Friday with a home game against Cal State Monterey Bay and await word on the NCAA Division II playoff pairings, which will be announced Sunday night.

Broncos Post A Big Win Over Coyotes
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beat CS San Bernardino, 55-51

SAN BERNARDINO – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team got an unexpected return from the NCAA Division II’s leading scorer and, by no coincidence, picked up a big victory as well.

Sparked by the return of Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) and some spirited defense, the Broncos defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 55-51, Saturday night in Coussoulis Arena. The win snapped a two-game losing streak by the Broncos (18-7, 13-5) and enabled them to pull back to within one game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association lead.

It also helped the Broncos’ playoff hopes. Cal Poly Pomona entered the weekend ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II West Region and completed a season sweep of No. 9 Cal State San Bernardino.

Allen, playing despite an injured shoulder that kept her out of the Broncos’ past two games, did not start Saturday, but still played 34 minutes. She scored a game-high 18 points and knocked down seven of her 12 field-goal attempts. She also managed to grab four rebounds and make a steal.

Cal Poly Pomona also got 14 points from Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) and eight points from Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS).

The Broncos shot 45 percent for the game, including 55 percent in the second half as they rallied from a 28-23 halftime deficit.

Cal Poly Pomona trailed by as many as 10 points early in the second half, 35-25, before mounting a comeback. The Broncos still trailed by seven points, 40-33, with 11:57 remaining, but scored the next seven points to tie the game.

The Broncos took their first lead of the second half on a 3-pointer by Perkins with 7:58 to go, but didn’t gain the advantage for good until Allen hit three straight field goals to give the Broncos a 51-49 lead with 1:53 left. A jumper by Fletcher made it 53-49 and a free throws by Allen pushed the advantage to 54-49 with 31 seconds left. After the Coyotes got to within three, 54-51, with 13 seconds left, Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) made a free throw with 12 seconds to go to ice the game.

Cal Poly Pomona will conclude its regular season next week with a pair of games in Kellogg Gym. The Broncos will host one of the conference co-leaders, Cal State Dominguez Hills, on Wednesday.

Broncos Drop Key Game To UC San Diego
Cal Poly Pomona plays without Allen and falls, 82-69

LA JOLLA -- Cal Poly Pomona's women's basketball team figured to have its hands full playing one of the playoff contenders in the NCAA Division II West Region without the nation's leading scorer.

UC San Diego didn't disappoint its fans in RIMAC Arena.

The Broncos (17-7, 12-5), playing their second full game without the injured Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), lost their second straight contest, 82-69, to the Tritons Friday night in La Jolla. Cal Poly Pomona committed 28 turnovers and missed nine of 15 free throws and ran into a determined UC San Diego that kept alive its playoff hopes with the victory.

Cal Poly Pomona came into the game ranked seventh in the region, while UC San Diego was ranked 10th. The top eight will advance to the postseason, where the Broncos have posted a record five national championships and an unprecedented 48 victories.

Allen missed the game with an injured shoulder. The Broncos got further bad news Friday when Britt Sumida (Sr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) injured her knee in the second half and did not return.
Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) led the Broncos with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) had 10 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Leora Juster had 23 points to lead the Tritons (15-9, 11-6), while Hillary Hansen added 18. UC San Diego owned a slim 45-43 advantage on the boards, while shooting 47 percent from the floor.

Cal Poly Pomona started the game by scoring the first eight points – six of them from Fletcher – but UC San Diego responded with a 20-2 run and led the rest of the way.

The Broncos trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half, but battled back to make it 42-36 at halftime after a 3-pointer by Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State). Cal Poly Pomona closed to within four points, 54-50, after a layup by Ge’Yanni Polk (So., San Leandro, San Leandro HS) with 11:27 to go, but that was as close as the Broncos would get.

UC San Diego went on a 13-4 run to open a 67-54 lead with 7:09 remaining and kept a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had eight points – all in the second half – while Thomas finished with seven points and three steals.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action on Saturday night with a key game at Cal State San Bernardino.

Broncos Unable To Overcome Wildcats
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team loses to Chico State, 88-67

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team came up short in a battle of nationally-ranked squads Saturday night.

The No. 20 Broncos were outscored, 43-28, in the second half and fell to No. 18 Chico State, 88-67, Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (17-6, 12-4) lost for the second time in their last four home games and dropped two games behind first-place Cal State Dominguez Hills in the California Collegiate Athletic Association race. The Broncos slipped into a second-place tie with Chico State (18-5, 12-4).

The game was also a battle between teams ranked high in the NCAA Division II West Region. Chico State entered the week ranked fourth, while the Broncos were rated seventh.

The Broncos played without the nation’s leading scorer, Candice Allen, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Chico State shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor and also owned a 39-31 rebounding edge against the Broncos.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 17 points and five rebounds to lead three Broncos in double figures. Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had 13 points, while Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had 10 points.

Kim Abts led four Wildcats in double figures with 19 points and 13 assists, while Amber Simmons had 16 points, Audriana Spencer had 15 points and Maija Panttaja had 13 points.

The Broncos led briefly, 9-7, after a 3-pointer by Perkins, but Chico State got a 3-pointer from Spencer to take a 10-9 advantage and then led the rest of the way. The Wildcats opened up a 10-point lead on two occasions before settling for a 45-39 halftime lead.

Fletcher scored the opening basket in the second half to slice the lead to four points, but that was as close as the Broncos would get. Chico State went on an 11-3 run to open up a 12-point lead, 56-44 and the Broncos never got closer than seven points after that.

Cal Poly Pomona got within nine points, 63-54, after a free throw by Reed with 10:11 to go, but Chico State scored the next 10 points to put the game away.

The Broncos will return to action next Friday in La Jolla when they face UC San Diego.

Broncos Post 94-77 Win Over Warriors
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team uses balanced attack for victory

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team used a balanced attack to overcome both the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors and a first-half injury to the NCAA Division II’s leading scorer.

Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS) scored a season-high 16 points to lead five Broncos in double figures and the Broncos rolled past Cal State Stanislaus, 94-77, Friday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (17-5, 12-3) won for the ninth time in its last 10 games and remained one game behind CCAA-leading Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Broncos won despite losing Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) to a shoulder injury in the first half. She had scored 15 points and hit all six of her shots from the floor before the injury, which came on a collision for a loose ball near midcourt. She did not return.

Cal State Stanislaus (4-18, 3-12) got big games from Lindsie LeFort, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Shavaki Jackson, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

The Broncos enjoyed a hefty 61-30 rebounding edge and also forced 27 turnovers.

Cal Poly Pomona also showed tremendous balance, led by Moody’s best offensive outing of the season.
She also had three steals in her 15 minutes of action. Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS), another of the Broncos’ first-year players, had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had her first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 12 points, four rebounds and four steals.

The Broncos scored the first 11 points of the game and never trailed. Allen hit a 3-pointer to put the Broncos ahead, 29-14, but she was injured just seconds later and had to leave the game.

Cal State Stanislaus rallied and sliced the lead to four points, 36-32, before the Broncos built the lead back up to 11 points, 45-34, by halftime. Cal Poly Pomona opened the second half with a 23-11 run over the first nine minutes and grabbed a 68-45 lead. The Broncos led by as many as 26 points before the Warriors battled back late.

The Broncos will return to action on Saturday night with a big contest against Chico State.

Broncos Rebound With Win Over L.A.
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats Golden Eagles, 81-65

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team shook off the affects of a disappointing loss to Cal State Bakersfield on Friday with a must-win performance Saturday night against Cal State L.A.

The Broncos had three players score in double figures and defeated the Golden Eagles, 81-65, Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (16-5, 11-3) won for the eighth time in its last nine games and remained one game behind conference-leading Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Broncos are tied for second place in the conference with Chico State.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) had 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and seven steals for the Broncos, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 14 points, four rebounds and five steals. Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had 12 points and two rebounds.
Charmaine Utz had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Golden Eagles (4-17, 1-13), while Amber Todd had 12 points and Fatimah Stokley added 11 points and six rebounds.

Cal State L.A. jumped out quickly and had a 10-4 lead in the first five minutes of the game. The Golden Eagles led as late as 22-20 with 5:40 to go in the first half, before the Broncos went on a 16-4 run to take a 36-26 lead.

Cal Poly Pomona settled for an eight-point lead at halftime, 39-31. The Golden Eagles trimmed the deficit to 50-47 with 13:57 remaining, but the Broncos put the game away with a 10-1 run that gave them a 58-48 lead with 10:03 to go.

The Broncos led by as many as 19 points down the stretch before winding up with the 16-point victory.

The Broncos forced 29 Cal State L.A. turnovers and were able to win despite shooting just 37 percent from the floor. Cal State L.A. shot 46 percent.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action next Friday with a home game against Cal State Stanislaus.

Broncos Lose Heartbreaker To Roadrunners
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team falls out of first place

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team was involved in another nailbiter with rival Cal State Bakersfield Friday night, only this time the Broncos did not like the ending.

The Broncos saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end in a 100-99 overtime defeat to Cal State Bakersfield. Cal Poly Pomona (15-5, 10-3) falls out of a share of first place and is now tied for second place with Chico State, one game back of conference-leading Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Two free throws by Gillian Lillich with four seconds remaining erased a 99-98 Cal Poly Pomona lead and gave the Roadrunners (15-5, 9-4) the victory.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) had 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead three Broncos in double figures before fouling out in the first overtime. Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had a season-high 25 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, while Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had 15 points on five 3-pointers. Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Iowa State) had a career-high 10 rebounds.

Katie McElree had a career-high 35 points to lead the Roadrunners, while Gillian Lillich had 31 points, five rebounds and four assists. Shakaria Jones had 10 points for Cal State Bakersfield.

The Broncos had a huge 56-34 rebounding edge, including 25 offensive boards. Cal Poly Pomona, though, also committed 25 turnovers to just 15 for the Roadrunners and missed 14 free throws as well.
Cal Poly Pomona grabbed a 43-34 halftime lead and enjoyed a 16-point lead, 48-32, with 16:15 remaining on a 3-pointer by Perkins.

The Roadrunners, quickly got back within striking range, going on a 16-4 run to cut the Broncos’ lead to just 64-60 with 11:13 remaining. Cal State Bakersfield maintained the momentum and grabbed the lead for the first time in the second half, 71-69, on a jumper by Lillich with 7:29 left.

That set up a frenetic finish to regulation. The Broncos trailed, 86-83, with 1:23 left but Allen tied the game by making three free throws. A Fletcher layup gave the Broncos an 88-86 lead, but a McElree layup tied it at 88-88. Again, Allen was fouled and made two free throws to give the Broncos a 90-88 lead, but a layup by Laurie Hodges with 10 seconds left sent the game into overtime.

A 3-pointer by Lillich that banked in with 2:18 remaining in the first overtime gave the Roadrunners a 98-95 lead, but a free throw by Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) cut the deficit to 98-96. After a Cal Poly Pomona defensive stop, a 3-point play by Fletcher gave the Broncos a 99-98 lead with 15 seconds remaining, but Lillich hit the two free throws with four seconds to go, giving the Roadrunners the lead for good. A driving banker by Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) in traffic just before the buzzer did not fall.

Broncos Earn Narrow Win Over Seawolves
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team stays tied for first in CCAA

ROHNERT PARK – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team maintained its share of first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, but it wasn’t easy.

The Broncos fought off Sonoma State, 72-69, Saturday night in Seawolf Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (15-4, 10-2) won its seventh straight game and stayed in a first-place tie with Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State in the CCAA.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the leading scorer in the NCAA Division II, led the Broncos with 35 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had eight points and a season-high 13 rebounds, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had eight points, five rebounds and five steals.

The Broncos shot just 36.6 percent for the game and misfired on 18 of their 22 attempts from behind the 3-point arc. Cal Poly Pomona enjoyed a 44-34 rebounding edge and also forced 28 Sonoma State turnovers.
The Broncos led for almost the entire first half and settled for a 40-37 halftime lead. The Broncos led by as many as nine points, 40-31, in the first half before Sonoma State scored the final six points of the period.

Sonoma State stayed close in the second half and eventually forged a 62-59 lead with 8:27 to go in the game. The Broncos, though, took the lead for good on a jumper by Allen that broke a 66-66 tie with 4:18 remaining. Sonoma State trailed by just one point, 70-69, and had the ball in the final minute, but turned the ball over with 11 seconds to play. A pair of free throws by Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) with four seconds left completed the win for the Broncos.

Cal Poly Pomona will host Cal State Bakersfield next Friday night on “Bring Back The Pack Night.”

Broncos Remain Tied For CCAA Lead
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats San Francisco State

SAN FRANCISCO – After a sluggish first half, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team got things rolling Friday night.

The Broncos trailed 35-31 at halftime, but then roared past San Francisco State, 82-60, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest. The Broncos (14-4, 9-2) outscored the Gators, 51-25, in the second half and remain in a three-way tie with Chico State and Cal State Dominguez Hills for the conference lead.

Cal Poly Pomona has won six straight games.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) had a game-high 39 points and eight rebounds to lead the Broncos. Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS) added a season-high 11 points, while Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) had eight points and six rebounds.

The Broncos struggled in the first half and made just 35 percent of their shots. San Francisco State (4-14, 3-8) closed the first half with an 8-1 run and took a 35-31 lead at halftime.

Cal Poly Pomona, though, picked things up in the second half and quickly took the lead. Back-to-back layups by Allen tied the game at 35-35 and a tip-in by Allen moments later gave the Broncos the lead for good, 41-39. The Broncos broke the game open with a 23-8 run over a seven-minute stretch that extended a 47-44 lead to a 70-52 advantage with 5:43 to play.

San Francisco State had a 40-37 edge in rebounding, but the Broncos forced 31 turnovers and committed only 13. The Broncos also shot 52.9 percent in the second half to break the game open.

The Broncos will face Sonoma State on Saturday night in Rohnert Park.

Allen Earns CCAA Player of Week Honors
Cal Poly Pomona star wins award for third time this season

WALNUT CREEK -- Candice Allen, Cal Poly Pomona’s high-scoring senior guard, has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 24-30.

Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) earned the honor for the third time this season after leading the Broncos to road wins at Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Monterey Bay last week. The victories moved the Broncos into a first-place tie in the CCAA.

Allen, the leading scorer in the NCAA Division II, poured in 38 points and had 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots to lead the Broncos to an 85-78 double-overtime win over Cal State Dominguez Hills last Wednesday. Allen then added 32 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and a blocked shot in an 85-72 win at Cal State Monterey Bay.

For the week, Allen averaged 35.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots. She has now recorded three double-doubles in a row.

Allen leads the CCAA and the NCAA Division II with a 29.5 points per game average. She also leads the Broncos with 6.5 rebounds per game and has a total of 39 rebounds in the Broncos’ last three victories.

Cal Poly Pomona has won five games in a row and is currently ranked 18th in the NCAA Division II. The Broncos share the CCAA lead with Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State.

Broncos Move Into Tie For CCAA Lead
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats Toros in double overtime

CARSON – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team moved into a tie for the California Collegiate Athletic Association lead Wednesday night and the Broncos had to put in extra time to do so.

The Broncos watched a 15-point second-half lead slip away and then had to work through two overtimes before posting an 85-78 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the Torodome. Cal Poly Pomona (12-4, 7-2) won its fourth straight game and pulled into a first-place tie in the conference with the Toros. The Broncos entered the game ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II West Region, while Cal State Dominguez Hills was fourth.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the leading scorer in the NCAA Division II, poured in a game-high 38 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds to record her second straight double-double. Allen also had five assists and two blocked shots and played 49 of a possible 50 minutes.
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Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State) had 10 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer that put the Broncos ahead for good in the second overtime. The Toros trailed by just one point, 78-77, with 2:42 to go, but baskets by Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) and Allen and a pair of free throws by Allen put the game out of reach for Cal Poly Pomona.

Fletcher finished with nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona held a 30-21 halftime lead and extended its lead to 15 points, 38-23, with 16:48 to go after a jumper by Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS). Cal State Dominguez Hills, though, responded with a 16-0 run over a 4:30 span to take a 39-38 advantage. The Toros led by as many as four points, 63-59, with 2:59 left in regulation, but a layup by Fletcher, a 3-pointer by Allen and a layup by Allen put the Broncos ahead, 66-63, with 1:17 left. Cal State Dominguez Hills sent the game into overtime on a 3-pointer by Octavia Askew.

The Toros took a 73-71 lead in the first overtime on a layup by Alana Bailey, but the Broncos knotted things up on a basket by Allen with 23 seconds to go.

On the Broncos’ first possession of the second overtime, Thomas hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to put Cal Poly Pomona ahead for good, 76-73.

Cal Poly Pomona will conclude the first half of conference play on Saturday night at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Broncos Complete A Weekend Sweep
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats UC San Diego

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team completed an important weekend at home with another big victory.

The Broncos defeated their second regionally-ranked opponent in as many nights, holding off UC San Diego, 83-78, Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (11-4, 6-2) won in consecutive evenings against No. 5 ranked Cal State San Bernardino and No. 7 UC San Diego. The Broncos, ranked 20th in the NCAA Division II, were ranked 10th in the region entering the weekend.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) had 18 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Broncos, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had a season-high 18 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) just missed a double-double, recording a season-high 12 points and nine rebounds.

Andrea Herold led four Tritons in double figures with 19 points. Leora Juster had 17 points, Stacie Gallagher-Bolton had 13 points and Karina Siam had 11 points and nine rebounds for UC San Diego (8-7, 4-4).

Cal Poly Pomona led by as many as seven points in the first half, 29-22, but UC San Diego went on an 12-3 run and took a 34-32 lead on a three-point play by Gallagher-Bolton. The Broncos, though, fought back and grabbed the halftime lead thanks to a late three-point play by Reed.

UC San Diego led by four, 57-53, with 12:43 remaining, but the Broncos finally took the lead for good on back-to-back 3-pointers by Allen and Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS), 63-58, with 9:03 to go.
The lead grew to as many as 15 points, 81-66, with 1:53 remaining and the Broncos held off a late surge by the Tritons to preserve the victory.

Cal Poly Pomona shot 41.8 percent to just 34.6 percent for the Tritons. The Broncos also owned a slim 55-52 advantage in rebounds.

Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) had eight points and five rebounds, while Perkins finished with seven points and two assists.

The Broncos will now play their next four games on the road, beginning with a Wednesday contest at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Broncos Get A Big Conference Win
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats Coyotes, 70-57

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team enjoyed its return to Kellogg Gym.

The Broncos, playing at home for the first time since Dec. 14, took command early in the second half and defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 70-57, Friday night in front of a Pack the Gym Night crowd. Cal Poly Pomona (10-4, 5-2) remained in a tie for second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, one game behind Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the leading scorer in NCAA Division II, had 28 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the victory. Khiara Ferguson (So., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS) had a career-high 10 points and six rebounds, while Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Iowa State) had 10 points and three rebounds.

Joyce Proctor had 15 points and five rebounds to lead Cal State San Bernardino (10-4, 4-3), which is off to its best start in seven years.

The Broncos led nearly the entire way, going on a quick 7-0 run to take a 17-11 advantage 10 minutes into the game. Cal Poly Pomona led by as many as 11 points before settling for a 33-25 halftime edge. Allen had 16 points in the first half.

Cal Poly Pomona led by double-digit margins for most of the second half. Cal State San Bernardino pulled to within eight points, 45-37, but the Broncos went on a 14-4 run to grab a 59-41 advantage with 8:31 to go.
The Broncos were outrebounded, 39-30 and also forced only nine turnovers.

Cal Poly Pomona, though, limited the Coyotes to just 34 percent shooting while making 56.9 percent of its shots. The Broncos shot a sizzling 63.6 percent in the second half. The Broncos, who lead the nation in 3-point shooting percentage, made five of 10 shots from behind the arc.

The Broncos will return to action Saturday night against UC San Diego.

Broncos Rebound With Win Over Warriors
Cal Poly Pomona beats Cal State Stanislaus, 86-78

TURLOCK – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team picked up an important road California Collegiate Athletic Association victory and moved closer to the conference lead in the process.

The No. 15 Broncos snapped a two-game losing streak with an 86-78 victory over Cal State Stanislaus Saturday night. The win gave Cal Poly Pomona a split of its weekend journey to Chico and Turlock. The Broncos (9-4, 4-2) also pulled to within one game of the CCAA lead, which is now shared by Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State, following the Toros’ win over the Wildcats Saturday.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the NCAA Division II's leading scorer, poured in 45 points in her second-highest scoring outburst of the season. Earlier this season, she scored a school and conference-record 50 points in a win over nationally-ranked Glenville State. Allen also had seven rebounds and 11 steals.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) added 15 points for the Broncos, while Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had nine points.

Cal Poly Pomona never trailed, but had a healthy first-half lead trimmed to four points, 39-35, at halftime. Allen led the Broncos with 23 points in the first 20 minutes of action.

The Broncos then opened up a 20-point lead midway through the second half and led by at least eight points the rest of the way.

Cal Poly Pomona forced 37 Cal State Stanislaus turnovers.

The Broncos will return to action next Friday night at Pack the Gym Night in Kellogg Gym against Cal State San Bernardino.

Broncos Fall In Battle Between Nationally-Ranked Teams
No. 15 Cal Poly Pomona loses to Chico State, 68-62

CHICO – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team was able to slow down Chico State’s high-powered offense Friday night.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, their offense struggled as well.

The Broncos limited the nation’s leading scoring offense to just 68 points, but that was enough for Chico State to post a 68-62 win over Cal Poly Pomona Friday night. Cal Poly Pomona (8-4, 3-2) lost its second straight game and has now lost four of its last five contests after opening the season with seven straight wins. The No. 15 Broncos also slipped two games behind conference-leading and No. 24 ranked Chico State, which improved to 11-1.

Cal Poly Pomona trailed for most of the game, but closed to within three points with 1:29 to go after a layup by Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona). The Wildcats, though, hit three free throws down the stretch and also benefited from a charging call late in the game.

Allen, the nation’s leading scorer, had 19 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Broncos. Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had a team-high 13 rebounds to go along with nine points, while Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona owned a 43-29 rebounding edge, but was hurt by 21 turnovers and 37 percent shooting.

The Broncos fell behind for good four minutes into the game and were down at halftime, 38-29. Chico State moved out to a 57-41 edge with 12:55 remaining in the game, but the Broncos went on a quick 9-0 run to get back into the contest.

The Broncos then got to within 65-62 in the last 90 seconds of the game, but couldn’t get any closer.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action Saturday night with a road game at Cal State Stanislaus.

Roadrunners Pin First CCAA Loss On Broncos
Cal Poly Pomona falls to Cal State Bakersfield, 86-74

BAKERSFIELD – This time, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team dug itself a hole it couldn’t get out of.

The Broncos, who rallied for a win over Cal State Bakersfield in the 2004 NCAA Division II West Region playoffs, were unable to climb all the way back in Saturday’s regular-season game against the Roadrunners and fell, 86-74, Saturday night in Centennial Garden. Cal Poly Pomona (8-3, 3-1) lost for the third time in four games and dropped its first California Collegiate Athletic Association contest in the process.

Cal Poly Pomona made a nice comeback from a 13-point second-half deficit to topple the Roadrunners, 87-84, last March in Seattle, but Cal State Bakersfield led by as many as 22 points in the second half in this one and never relented. The Roadrunners (9-2, 3-1) pulled into a second-place tie with the Broncos, one game back of conference-leading Chico State.

Four Broncos scored in double figures, led by Brandi Fletcher (Sr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS), who had a season-high 17 points and seven rebounds. Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had the first double-double of her career, contributing 11 points and 11 rebounds. Both totals were season highs.

The Broncos also got a season-high 15 points from Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS). Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the leading scorer in the NCAA Division II, had a season-low 11 points and played only 21 minutes.

Cal State Bakersfield got 26 points from Katie McElree and 23 points from Shakaria Jones.

The Broncos owned a 45-39 edge in rebounding, but had trouble all night taking care of the basketball. Cal Poly Pomona committed 24 turnovers to only 14 for Cal State Bakersfield.

Cal Poly Pomona got off to a decent start and led, 19-14, with 11:47 to go in the first half. Things quickly fell apart from there, though, and Cal State Bakersfield closed the half with a game-breaking 28-7 run.

That gave the Roadrunners a 16-point halftime lead, 42-26.

Cal Poly Pomona was able to cut the deficit to eight points, 58-50, after a free throw by Fletcher, with 10:47 to go, but the Roadrunners went on a 17-4 run over the next four minutes to put the game away.

The Broncos did get some good play off the bench from Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS), who had eight points, one assist and two steals in 14 minutes. Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Wayzata HS) had four points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action with a road game at Chico State next Friday.

Broncos Pull Away For 86-61 Win
Cal Poly Pomona beats Cal State L.A. in CCAA play

LOS ANGELES – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team got off to a shaky start, but the Broncos got things righted in time for a big second-half performance.

The Broncos, who trailed by as many as five points midway through the first half, broke open a close game in the second half and rolled to an 86-61win over Cal State L.A. in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game. Cal Poly Pomona (8-2, 3-0) snapped a two-game losing streak while remaining unbeaten in conference play.

Cal Poly Pomona, ranked 18th in the nation in the latest WBCA/ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll, got another huge game from star Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona). Allen, the nation’s leading scorer entering the game, poured in a game-high 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

The Broncos, who also lead the nation in 3-point shooting percentage, knocked down 12 of 23 shots from behind the 3-point arc. Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) hit four 3-pointers and had a season-high 14 points. Shyrah Thomas (Sr., Inglewood, San Francisco State) added eight points and four rebounds in her best performance of the season, also knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. Britt Sumida (Sr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) also hit a pair of long-range shots and finished with six points.

Charmaine Utz had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles (3-7, 0-3), while Fatimah Stokley had 13 points.

The Broncos opened with a flurry of 3-pointers and led, 12-3, based on two long shots by Thomas and one each by Sumida and Perkins. Cal State L.A., though, went on a 14-0 run over a four-minute stretch to open up its biggest lead of the game, 17-12.

A 3-pointer by Allen quickly sliced into that lead and the Broncos finally took the lead for good, 21-19 on a jumper by Thomas with 6:55 remaining in the half. Cal Poly Pomona went on to take a 39-33 halftime edge.

Cal State L.A. got to within five points early in the second half, but Cal Poly Pomona finally appeared to wear down the short-handed Golden Eagles, who played with only seven players. The Broncos moved out to a 57-46 lead on a jumper by Allen with 14:12 left and led by double figures the rest of the way.

Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had seven points and five rebounds, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had six points, all in the second half.

The Broncos shot 47 percent for the game, 53 percent in the second half. The Broncos owned a 40-36 rebounding edge and forced 25 turnovers.

Broncos Suffer First Loss Of The Season
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team falls to Western Washington

SEATTLE – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team saw its lengthy regular-season winning streak come to an end Wednesday in the opening game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association/Great Northwest Athletic Conference Classic.

The Broncos, ranked 12th in the nation in the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/ESPN/NCAA Division II poll, shot just 32 percent for the game and lost to Western Washington, 78-64, Wednesday afternoon at Seattle Pacific. The Broncos (7-1) had a 15-game regular-season winning streak snapped by the Vikings. Western Washington (8-1) won its eighth straight game.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) led the Broncos with 23 points, although she was saddled throughout the game with foul trouble and played only 28 minutes. Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) added 10 points and four rebounds.

The Broncos endured a nightmarish trip to Seattle on Tuesday and were not helped by the 1 p.m. tip-off for the Wednesday game. Cal Poly Pomona’s flight to Seattle was cancelled because of fog and the Broncos had to fly in to Portland and bus for more than two hours late Tuesday night to Seattle.

Cal Poly Pomona shot just 22 percent in the opening half and trailed at halftime, 36-28. The Broncos trailed by as many as 10 points early in the second half, but a four-point play by Allen, who had four fouls at the time, gave Cal Poly Pomona a 57-56 lead with 8:36 to go. The Broncos led one more time, 59-58, after a put-back by Porsche Kirksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) with 8:05 left, but Western Washington went on a 12-3 run over the next four minutes to take control of the game.

A pair of free throws by Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) cut the deficit to 70-64 with 3:52 remaining, but the Broncos were blanked the rest of the way and the Vikings closed the game by scoring the final eight points.

Western Washington owned a hefty 59-35 advantage in rebounds. The Broncos forced 23 Western Washington turnovers.

Cal Poly Pomona will face tournament host Seattle Pacific on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Broncos Run Winning Streak To Seven
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team stays unbeaten with win over Antelopes

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team remained unbeaten with another solid performance.

The Broncos, ranked 12th in the nation in the latest WBCA/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, jumped out to a big first-half lead and never let up in a 77-57 victory Tuesday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (7-0) won its 15th straight regular-season game dating back to last season. The Broncos are now off until Dec. 29-30 when they face two key regional games in the CCAA/GNAC Classic in Seattle.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), coming off a school and conference-record 50 points, led all scorers Tuesday with 21 points and she scored them in an efficient 25 minutes. Allen took only nine shots in the game, hit seven, and also knocked down six of eight free-throws.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) added 12 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) had 11 points.

Erin Yiakos, Stacie Alvarez and Jennifer Cobb all scored 10 points to lead the Antelopes (4-6), a former California Collegiate Athletic Association opponent of the Broncos who now are an NCAA Division II West Region independent.

Cal Poly Pomona owned a 38-33 rebounding advantage and was led in that department by Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS), who had a game-high nine. Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Iowa State) and Porsche’ Kirksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) had four rebounds each for the Broncos.

The Broncos also forced 32 Grand Canyon turnovers.

The Broncos trailed only once, at 5-4, but took control of the game with a 12-1 run that gave them a 17-5 edge. Cal Poly Pomona led by as many as 14 points before settling for a 34-24 halftime lead.

The Broncos led by as many 29 points in the second half and had double-digit leads throughout.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action on Dec. 29 against Western Washington at 1 p.m. in the CCAA/GNAC Classic. The Broncos will then meet tournament host and defending West Region champion Seattle Pacific on Dec. 30.

Allen Shares CCAA Player of Week Honors
Cal Poly Pomona star gets second straight conference award

WALNUT CREEK -- Candice Allen, Cal Poly Pomona’s high-scoring senior guard, has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week with Chico State guard Kim Abts for the week of Dec. 6-12.

Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) earned conference honors for the second straight week after a record-breaking performance in the Western Classic Shootout at Cal State Bakersfield. Allen broke the Cal Poly Pomona and the CCAA single-game record with 50 points while leading the Broncos past No. 9 Glenville State, 81-75, Saturday night. Allen also had 32 points and scored the Broncos’ final 14 points in an 84-76 win over Northwest Nazarene on Friday night. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Classic Shootout.

For the week, Allen averaged 41.0 points per game on 54.7 percent shooting. She also averaged 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 steals. Abts averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals for the Wildcats to share the honor. She tied a CCAA single-game record for assists with 16 in a win over Humboldt State. She was the Most Valuable Player of the Humboldt State North Coast Inn Classic.

Allen, who led the NCAA Division II in scoring last season with 24.5 points per game, is averaging 33.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game after six games this season. She has helped Cal Poly Pomona to a 6-0 start and a No. 16 national ranking.

The Broncos will host Grand Canyon on Tuesday night in Kellogg Gym at 5:30 p.m.

Record Night By Allen Leads Broncos To Win
Cal Poly Pomona senior scores 50 to lead 81-75 victory

BAKERSFIELD -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women's basketball team got a record night from Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) and another come-from-behind victory in the Classic Western Shootout.

For the second straight night, the Broncos needed to rally from a significant second-half deficit to post a victory. This time, Cal Poly Pomona came back from an eight-point deficit in the last 10:31 to go and beat Glenville State, 81-75. Allen was phenomenal, pouring in a school-record 50 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. The reigning California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year and Kodak All-American also set a new Icardo Center record as well. The 50 points are more than any player has scored in a men’s or women’s game in the Cal State Bakersfield campus arena.

Cal Poly Pomona (6-0), ranked 16th in the nation, also had to rally from an eight-point deficit in the second half to defeat Northwest Nazarene on Friday night.

Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) added 13 points and three rebounds, while Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had seven points and four rebounds.

Glenville State (3-2) entered the tournament ranked ninth in the country, but heads home with consecutive defeats after losing to Cal State Bakersfield on Friday night. Rachel Reddick and Casey Taylor had 17 points each to lead four Pioneers in double figures.

The Broncos started slowly and Glenville State scored the first seven points of the game. The Pioneers led by as many as nine points on two occasions in the first half, the final time at 31-22 with 2:49 to go in the half. Cal Poly Pomona, though, went on a 15-6 blitz to close the half, tying the score at halftime on a late layup by Allen.

Allen had 23 points in the first half to keep the Broncos in the contest.

Glenville State opened up an eight-point lead in the second half, the final time with 10:31 left, 55-47. The Broncos promptly went on a 6-0 run to make it 57-55, four points from Allen and two from Stayton, setting the stage for an exciting finish.

The Pioneers grabbed a four-point lead, 73-69, with 3:04 remaining, but layups by Allen and Fletcher tied the game at 73-73. The game was tied for a final time, 75-75, with 58 seconds left, but two free throws by Allen with 42 seconds left put the Broncos ahead for good. Allen was fouled again with 15 seconds remaining and made two free throws to put the game away with 14 seconds to go. Stayton completed the victory with two free throws with four seconds left.

The Broncos, who were outrebounded by three in the first half, dominated the glass in the second half and wound up with a 42-32 edge. Allen led with nine, while Khiara Ferguson (So., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS) had seven rebounds and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had six rebounds.

Broncos Overcome A Stern Challenge From Crusaders
Cal Poly Pomona pulls away late for key West Region win

BAKERSFIELD -- Cal Poly Pomona's women's basketball team remained unbeaten, but the Broncos had to overcome their sternest challenge of the season to record a fifth straight win.

The Broncos (5-0), ranked 16th in the NCAA Division II, took the lead for good with 5:22 to go and pulled away for a hard-fought 84-76 victory over Northwest Nazarene Friday in the opening game of the 2004 Classic Western Shootout at Cal State Bakersfield. Cal Poly Pomona trailed by as many as eight points in the second half and needed a game-ending 17-7 run over the final six minutes to record the victory.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) scored 26 of her game-high 32 points in the second half to lead the Broncos. Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) had 15 points and four rebounds, Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had 12 points and four rebounds and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Danielle Pridgen poured in 27 points to lead the Crusaders (4-3), while Jessica Metz had 11 points and Trisha Lind added 10 points.

Cal Poly Pomona found itself on the short end of a 41-32 rebounding count, although the Broncos forced 33 turnovers and appeared to wear down the Crusaders down the stretch.

The Broncos took the lead for good, 70-69, after a 3-pointer by Perkins with 5:22 to go. Consecutive baskets by Allen pushed the lead to 74-69, but Northwest Nazarene trimmed the lead to one point, 74-73, before Allen stopped the run with another jumper. A free throw by Kara Gonzales cut the Bronco lead to 76-74, but Allen scored six straight points to put the game away.

In all, Allen scored the Broncos' final 14 points in the last four minutes of the game.

The Broncos trailed for the first 10 minutes of the game, but used a 18-4 run to open up a 27-19 lead with 6:45 to go in the half. Northwest Nazarene, though, went on a 14-6 run to tie things up and eventually scored the final four points of the first half to take a 43-42 halftime edge.

Northwest Nazarene opened up its biggest lead of the game, 63-55, with 10:17 to go before the Broncos started the rally. Layups by Fletcher and Allen started a game-tying run that, after a basket by Lind, continued with jumpers by Allen and Stayton and a layup by Perkins.

The game was tied again at 67-67 after two free throws by Stayton, which set the stage for Perkins. After a layup by Whitney Van Brocklin, the junior guard hit a 3-pointer to put the Broncos ahead for good.

Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS) had six points in 11 minutes for the Broncos, who had 12 players see action and eight players score.

Cal Poly Pomona will face No. 9 Glenville State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The game will be aired on the Cal Poly Pomona athletic website.

Allen Earns CCAA Player of Week Honors
Cal Poly Pomona star gets first weekly honor of the season

WALNUT CREEK -- Candice Allen, Cal Poly Pomona’s high-scoring senior guard, has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 29 – Dec. 5.

Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) led the Broncos to a pair of victories last weekend in the first full week of CCAA play. Allen scored 30 points in a 104-85 win over Sonoma State on Friday and she poured in 31 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 93-61 victory over San Francisco State on Saturday.

For the week, Allen averaged 30.5 points per game and 57.5 percent shooting (23-40). She also hit seven of her nine attempts from behind the 3-point arc. The reigning CCAA Player of the Year also averaged 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 2.5 assists for the week.

Allen won the weekly award for the first time this season and for the sixth time over the past two seasons.

The Broncos, ranked 25th in the nation, are off to a 4-0 start and will face Northwest Nazarene and Glenville State this weekend in the Best of the West Shootout at Cal State Bakersfield.

Broncos Complete Weekend CCAA Sweep
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team runs past Gators, 93-61

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team put a good finishing touch on the first weekend of California Collegiate Athletic Association play.

The Broncos broke out to a big early lead for the second straight night and rolled past San Francisco State, 93-61, Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (4-0, 2-0), ranked 25th in the NCAA Division II in the WBCA Preseason Coaches’ poll, raced out to a 41-21 lead by halftime and never let up while winning by a lopsided margin for the consecutive game. The Broncos were coming off a 104-85 win over Sonoma State on Friday.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), who led the NCAA Division II in scoring last season, paced the Broncos once again with 31 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Ashley Haggerty led four San Francisco State players in double figures with 17 points. LuLue Burton had 11 points, while Crystal Hutchinson and Bianca Rayford had 10 points each.

The Broncos fell behind 1-0 after a free throw by Rayford in the opening minute, but the Broncos went on a 20-5 run over the next nine minutes to take control of the game. Cal Poly Pomona led by as many as 25 points in the first half before settling for a 41-21 halftime lead.

The Broncos built leads as large as 34 points in the second half and never led by fewer than 18 points.

Thirteen players scored in the game for the Broncos.

The Broncos owned a 46-39 rebounding edge and also forced 34 turnovers.

Ashley Moody (Fr., Carson, King Drew HS) had seven points and three rebounds for the Broncos, while Alexis Wilson (Jr., Wayzata, MN, Iowa State) added seven points in just seven minutes of action.

The Broncos will return to action next Friday in the Best of the West Shootout in Bakersfield, where they will face Northwest Nazarene and No. 12 Glenville State.

Broncos Roll To Win In Conference Opener
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats Seawolves, 104-85

POMONA – Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team got its 2004-05 conference schedule off to a good start.

The Broncos jumped out to a big lead early and cruised to a 104-85 victory over Sonoma State Friday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (3-0, 1-0) led by as many as 28 points and never led by fewer than 17 points in the second half.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) led the Broncos with 30 points and four Broncos reached double figures in scoring. Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) and Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS) had 16 points each and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had 10 points.

Sonoma State (0-4, 0-1) got 20 points from Jessica Jennings, 13 points from Lindsay Van Nostrand and 10 points from Natalia Worth. The Seawolves shot 52 percent from the floor, but had 27 turnovers and were out-rebounded by seven.

The Broncos shot 53 percent and connected on eight of their 13 attempts from behind the 3-point arc. Allen hit four of six 3-point attempts, while Stayton nailed three of her four tries. Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) hit her only 3-point attempt.

Porsche’ Kirksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) had a team-high seven rebounds to go along with five points.

The Broncos had 16 steals, six by Stayton and five by Allen led the way.

Cal Poly Pomona scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed. The lead hit double digits for the first time at 18-7 with 13:39 left in the first half. The Broncos led by double digits the rest of the way and built leads as large as 22 points in the half before settling for a 52-33 halftime lead.

Stayton hit a 3-pointer to start the second half and Cal Poly Pomona was off and running again.

Khiara Ferguson (So., Gardena, Bishop Montgomery HS) had eight points and two rebounds and Sahfiya Brown (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) had six points and four rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona will return to action on Saturday with a home game against San Francisco State.

Broncos Improve To 2-0 With Home Win
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team beats St. Thomas, 81-66

POMONA – After a shaky start in its 2004-05 home opener, Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team finally got things rolling.

Cal Poly Pomona fell behind, 11-2, but then scored the next 16 points and went on to an 81-66 victory over St. Thomas University of St. Paul, Minn. Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. The No. 25 Broncos won their 10th straight regular-season game.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona) led the way with 30 points and seven rebounds. She hit all five of her field-goal attempts and all six free-throw attempts in the second half and scored 17 points in the second 20 minutes. Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds.

Erica Opdahl and Molly Miller scored 17 points for St. Thomas, which was making its 2004-05 debut. Patricia Hall had 12 points in just 11 minutes for the Tommies.

After Allen made a layup in the first 17 seconds of the game, St. Thomas scored 11 straight points over a seven-minute period. Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) made a rebound basket to stop the drought and begin a 16-0 run for the Broncos that gave them an 18-11 lead. St. Thomas got the lead down to five points late in the first half, but two free throws by Allen and another by Sahfiya Brown (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) gave the Broncos a 32-24 halftime lead.

Cal Poly Pomona came out energized in the second half and outscored the Tommies, 24-12 in the first seven minutes to take a 56-36 lead. A 3-pointer by Allen capped the run.

Cal Poly Pomona led by at least 14 points the rest of the way and built leads as large as 22 points.
Brown finished with seven points and three rebounds for the Broncos, while Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had six points and hit all three of her field-goal attempts. Porsche’ Kirsksey (Fr., Gardena, Junipero Serra HS) had six rebounds for the Broncos.

Cal Poly Pomona held a 48-39 rebounding edge and forced 24 St. Thomas turnovers.

Broncos Open Season With A Win
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team outscores Cougars, 97-89

AZUSA – Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team got its 2004-05 season off to an exciting start.

The Broncos rolled up 97 points and outscored Azusa Pacific, 97-89, Friday night at the Felix Event Center. Cal Poly Pomona (1-0) won its seventh consecutive season opener and beat the Cougars (2-1) for the ninth time in 10 meetings.

Candice Allen (Sr., Ontario, University of Arizona), the nation’s leading scorer last season, poured in 26 points to lead the Broncos to lead a balanced offensive attack. She also tied for a team high with seven rebounds and tied for a team-high in assists with five as well.

Lauren Stayton (Jr., Inglewood, Fresno State) had 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals, Shanika Perkins (Jr., Oakland, Oakland HS) had 11 points, five rebounds and three steals and Natasha Reed (Fr., San Francisco, Deer Valley HS) had 10 points and six rebounds.

Monica Somers had 21 points to lead four Azusa Pacific players in double figures. Lindsay Rice had 19 points and nine rebounds, while Kelsey Hudson and Lindsey West had 14 points each.

Cal Poly Pomona shot 48 percent from the field and hit nine of their 12 attempts from behind the 3-point arc. The Broncos owned a 39-33 edge in rebounding and also forced 20 Azusa Pacific turnovers.

The Broncos scored the first four points of the game and never trailed. The Cougars tied the game twice – at 14-14 and at 16-16, but the Broncos went on an 18-6 run to take a 34-22 lead with 5:58 remaining in the first half.

Cal Poly Pomona led at halftime, 49-38, but the Cougars started the second half with a run and cut the Broncos’ lead to just 57-53 with 16:01 to go. Once again, Cal Poly Pomona responded and opened up a 72-61 edge after a pair of Stayton free throws with 9:48 to go.

Azusa Pacific made one more surge and got to within 81-77 with 5:09 left, but Perkins knocked down a 3-pointer and Allen hit a short jumper to boost the lead back up to nine points and the Broncos led by at least six points the rest of the way.

Cal Poly Pomona took its biggest lead, 97-84, in the final minute after a layup by Unique Anderson (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Temescal Canyon HS) from a nice pass from Brandi Fletcher (Jr., Pomona, Diamond Ranch HS).

For more information on Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball, please direct e-mail to pbthomas@csupomona.edu