LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.’s women’s basketball team got its three-game exhibition slate underway Thursday night in the Eagles Nest.
The Golden Eagles battled with NCAA Division I opponent UNLV before falling to the Rebels, 67-42. Cal State L.A. limited UNLV to 36.8 percent shooting, but was able to make only 29.5 percent of its shots during the exhibition contest.
Kelli Thompson led UNLV with 13 points, while Jamie Smith had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
UNLV enjoyed a 50-43 rebounding edge and forced Cal State L.A. into 20 turnovers.
Junior center
Shatori Dearman had a team-high eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles, while junior newcomer
Jordan Kuzma had seven rebounds.
Johnson scored the first four points of the game to get the Golden Eagles off to a good start and the game was still tied at 9-9 after an offensive rebound and basket by Dearman. UNLV, though, scored the next eight points and led the rest of the way. A 3-pointer by Mia Bell and three points from Jamie Smith pushed the Rebel lead to 35-15 late in the first half.
UNLV led by at least 20 points throughout the second half and had leads as large as 31 points. A three-point play by Crandell and baskets by Terrell and Crandell keyed Cal State L.A. down the stretch.
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Friday with an afternoon exhibition game at Pepperdine before concluding its exhibition schedule with a game at Concordia on Nov. 13.