Tigers Topple L.A. Southwest, 68-56; RCC Hosts Fullerton Wednesday in OEC Opener

RIVERSIDE -- Building a sizable lead in the second half, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's basketball team had enough in its final nonconference game despite a second-half scoring flurry from its opponents for a 68-56 win over the Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) Cougars Saturday evening (Jan. 3) at historic Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium.

Riverside (11-5 overall) turned around a 6-4 deficit with a 14-0 run (over a span of 7:39) to build a modest 18-6 lead with 6:29 to play in the first half before settling for a 25-13 lead at halftime.

In the second half, RCC had its biggest lead at 47-21 with 12:53 left before the visiting Cougars started to click.

With 11 minutes left, L.A. Southwest (4-9 overall) began to drain three-point field goals after going zero for eight in the opening stanza. The main weapon was starting sophomore guard Kimberly Pickett who pumped in 28 of her game-high 31 points in the second half on ten field goals, including six treys. Starting sophomore guard Shymane Callahan tossed in all 11 of her points in the final period on four baskets (including three three-point field goals). Also of note, starting sophomore guard Alexis Turner had eight points and a game-high ten assists.

But Riverside's depth proved to be the difference as four Tigers starters scored in double digits, led by sophomore guard Tierra Fuqua (Moreno Valley / Rancho Verde HS '13), who had 19 points and a team-high nine assists. Sophomore center Tori Mitchell (Riverside Poly HS '13) chipped in with 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, followed by starting sophomore guard Tristyn Gates (Riverside / Arlington HS '13) with 11 points (plus four rebounds and four assists), and starting sophomore guard Tamara Herring (Riverside / Citrus Hill HS '12), who added ten points and six rebounds.

Down the stretch, L.A. Southwest closed to within 63-53 with 1:20 left in the game, but RCC kept the Cougars at bay with five made free throws.

With the win, Riverside will open Orange Empire Conference (OEC) action on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when it hosts the Fullerton College Hornets in a 5 p.m. tipoff. The RCC men will also open OEC action against Fullerton with a 7 p.m. home game on Jan. 7.

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