HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team battled for a 73-67 victory against Chico State on Saturday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium. The Pioneers bounced back from their previous loss, delivering a complete team performance to secure the win.
 

The contest began with East Bay asserting dominance, building a 17-12 advantage in the first quarter. However, the Wildcats rallied in the second, threatening to take control. In a pivotal moment just before halftime, Ariyah Smith's fastbreak layup off a steal knotted the game at 27-27, setting the stage for an intense second half.

Despite Chico State's slight edge in the third quarter, the Pioneers charged back in the final frame. The turning point came at the 7:09 mark when Smith drained a crucial 3-pointer, giving East Bay a 60-56 lead. The Pioneers extended their advantage to as much as eight points, with Gwendilyn Aasland's layup putting them ahead 68-60 with 3:50 remaining.

The Wildcats mounted a late comeback, scoring seven unanswered points to narrow the gap to one with just 1:11 left on the clock. However, the Pioneers' stout defense and clutch free-throw shooting sealed the 73-67 victory, much to the delight of the home crowd.

• Ariyah Smith led all scorers with 20 points, shooting 7-for-15 from the field and 3-for-7 from beyond the arc. She also contributed four steals.
• Taylor Eldredge added 19 points to the Pioneers' tally.
• Krista Shaeffer reached double figures with 11 points.
• Gwendilyn Aasland dominated the glass with a team-high 14 rebounds, while also recording two steals and two blocks.
• Lailah Carey showcased her playmaking skills with a season-high seven assists.
• The Pioneers narrowly edged out Chico State in rebounding, 45-43, despite shooting a slightly lower percentage from the field (36.1% compared to the Wildcats' 36.7%).

Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin expressed her satisfaction with the team's performance:
"It was a great ending for our weekend as we had a complete team effort to get back into the win column. It was a great feeling to see us compete for four quarters and play with high energy on the defensive end. I'm proud of our team, but we must continue to get better as it is back to work on Monday to prepare for our upcoming road trip."
 

Cal State East Bay: 9-15, 7-11 CCAA
Chico State: 18-6, 13-5 CCAA

Four games remain in the regular season for the Pioneers. who trail by 2 1/2 games from sixth place, which represents the final spot in the CCAA Tournament. 
 

The Pioneers will look to build on this momentum as they hit the road for their next CCAA matchup and make a push for the postseason. Cal State East Bay will face Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, February 20, at Coussoulis Arena in San Bernardino, California. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The Pioneers will be seeking revenge after falling to the Coyotes 73-56 in their previous encounter on January 25 in Hayward.