Cal State L.A. Athletics

Cal State L.A.’s women’s basketball team fielded one of youngest teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association last season and the Golden Eagles, for a third straight season, fell short of qualifying for the CCAA Championship Tournament.

 

The Golden Eagles, who came out on the short end of several close decisions throughout the season, finished with a 4-23 overall record and a 2-20 mark in conference play. Cal State L.A. lost its last 12 games of the season, including a pair of overtime defeats and three other regulation losses by three points or less.

 

Cal State L.A.’s most impressive victory was a 58-54 triumph over NCAA Division II playoff participant Chico State in Chico. The win snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Wildcats dating back to 2001. Jazzi Johnson had a game-high 22 points and Shatori Dearman had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the way.

 

The Golden Eagles also posted non-conference victories over Academy of Art (54-43) and Dixie State College (60-50) and a conference home victory over Cal State East Bay (68-59).

 

Junior guard Jazzi Johnson led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 13.3 points per game and made 53 percent of her field-goal attempts. She also averaged 5.5 rebounds per game.

 

Johnson was the only Golden Eagle to post a double-digit scoring average. Junior forward/center Jordan Kuzma was second on the team in scoring with 8.1 points per game and she also led the team in rebounding with 7.4 rebounds per game.

 

Sophomore guard Jameiz Terrell was third in scoring with 6.8 points per game and she also led the squad in 3-pointers with 30. Junior center Shatori Dearman averaged 6.5 points per game.

 

Cal State L.A. limited opponents to just 37.1 percent shooting, which was sixth in the conference and the Golden Eagles were No. 1 in 3-point field-goal percentage, limiting opponents to just 26.8 percent shooting from behind the arc.

 

2009-10 Overall Record: 4-23. CCAA Record: 2-20 (T11^th)

2009-10 Recap: Cal State L.A.’s women’s basketball team was once again one of the youngest squads in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and the Golden Eagles did not have a senior on their 2009-10 roster. Cal State L.A. struggled down the stretch and lost its last 12 games, although two of the losses came in overtime and three more came by three points or less. Cal State L.A. snapped a 16-game losing streak to Chico State dating back to 2001 with a 58-54 victory in Chico on Jan. 22. That was the Golden Eagles’ lone road victory. Cal State L.A. posted non-conference victories over Academy of Art (54-43), Dixie State College (60-50) and a CCAA win over Cal State East Bay (68-59). Junior guard Jazzi Johnson led the team and was eighth in the conference in scoring with 13.3 points per game. She also led the team in steals with 56 and was third in the conference in that category. Johnson made 53 percent of her field-goal attempts, which led the team and was second in the conference. Junior forward-center Jordan Kuzma was second on the team in scoring with 8.1 points per game and led the team in rebounding with 7.4 rebounds per game. She was eighth in the conference in rebounding and third in blocks. Jazzi Johnson scored a season-high 23 points against San Francisco State on Jan. 9 and had 22 points in the win at Chico State on Jan. 22. She also scored 21 points three times, against Cal State Monterey Bay on Feb. 13, Cal State East Bay on Feb. 4 and Cal State San Bernardino on Jan. 15.