Women's Cagers Play Tough In Loss to State #2 Mt. SAC

The Pasadena City College women's basketball team played a great opening 20 minutes at state #2-ranked Mt. San Antonio, but the Mounties made adjustments and then limited the Lancers to just 19 second-half points in sending PCC to a 61-47 loss Wednesday night.

PCC (13-9) dropped to second place in the SCC North Division at 2-1 while Mt. SAC occupies first place by itself at 19-2 and 2-0.

Mt. San Antonio extended a head-to-head win streak over Pasadena, now at 11 in a row dating back to 2018.

The Lancers led 12-8 after one quarter and upped the advantage to as much as 10 before going into halftime ahead 28-20. Lamia Daley had 10 of PCC's points in the first half.

Things didn't unravel for PCC until midway through the third quarter. After Crystal Smith's layup kept the lead at 32-28, Mt. SAC scored the final 13 points of the period capped by a jumper from Asia Gibson. The Mounties outscored PCC, 21-4, in the period.

Pasadena couldn't play the catch-up game as Mt. SAC was not pressured in the fourth quarter.

Gibson came off the Mt. SAC bench to lead all scorers with 18 points with nine rebounds.

"We played some of our best basketball of the season in the first half," said PCC head coach Joe Peron. "I thought we did a good job of shutting down some of their best starters, but we lost our composure in the third quarter. The Mt. SAC bench hurt us especially Gibson."

For PCC, Daley finished with 16 points as did Abigail Saville while Antuanae Garrett totaled nine points, 10 rebounds, eight steals and five assists. 

Remarkably, neither team made a 3-point basket (combined 0-for-21) while each team was limited to attempting only six free throws each. 

The Lancers next play at Rio Hondo College on Friday, Feb. 7, a 7 p.m. conference tip-off.