Nov. 26, 1999

Box Score

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - California had four players in double-figure points as the Golden Bears edged Idaho 66-63 Friday night at Moby Arena in the opening round of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational. The Bears improved to 2-0 overall, while Idaho falls to 1-2. Cal battles host Colorado State Saturday at 6:30 p.m. PT for the tournament title. The Rams downed Vermont, 102-69, in the night cap Friday.

Junior guard Kenya Corley led Cal in scoring for the second-consecutive game with 14 points. Redshirt sophomore guard/forward Masa Radovic added 13 and junior forward Lauren Ashbaugh contributed 11, along with a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Courtney Johnson came up huge off the bench for Cal for the second-straight game with 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

"It took a total team effort to win. We need that each and every day to be the team that ultimately we can be," said Cal head coach Marianne Stanley. "Lauren Ashbaugh played a stellar game defensively against one of the most prolific scorers in the West.

"And we got offensive production out of a number of players. This is the fourth game in a row (including two exhibitions) which we had at least three people in double figures in the scoring column. I am most pleased with the team spirit and effort that our team displayed in a very, very tough road contest."

Both teams played each other extremely close throughout the game with seven ties and neither team leading by more than six points. Cal held a 24-21 halftime advantage and utilized stronger offensive and defensive play after intermission to clinch the victory in the programs' first ever meeting. With 10:49 to go in the game, Johnson hit a jumper to put Cal up 46-44, a lead Cal would not relinquish. The Bears extended their lead to six points at 60-54 with a free throw from Genevieve Swedor at the 5:36 mark, but Idaho didn't allow Cal to pull ahead any further behind the play of forward Alli Nieman.

Nieman scored nine of her game-high 21 points to close out the game but committed two key turnovers down the stretch. The Vandals had the ball down two at 65-63 when Nieman proceeded to travel on a drive to the basket with 51 ticks on the clock. The Bears held Nieman under her 26.0 points per game average. Johnson tallied another free throw for Cal, and the Bears hung on for the victory after Idaho failed to make two three-point attempts in the final 15 seconds. The Bears held the Vandals to 3-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc for the game.

The second half was more indicative of the kind of team Cal has evolved into. The Bears shot 53.8 percent from the field, compared to 22.9 percent in the first half (36.1 for the game). They also had only six turnovers, finishing with a respectable 17 for the game. Cal showed Idaho tough perimeter defense throughout the game, holding the Vandals to 35.4 percent shooting, including 15 percent from three-point range (3-of-20).

Cal got off to an 8-2 lead to start the game before both teams struggled to score. Idaho gained a brief 15-11 lead before the Bears got back on track to grab a 24-21 halftime advantage with a 13-6 run to close the half. Radovic, Ashbaugh and Forney led Cal with five points each. With the poor shooting, Cal was able to claim a 32-25 rebounding edge and a 47-43 advantage on the glass for the game.

The Bears defeated then-ninth-ranked Colorado State (80-75) last season in the Oakland Tribune Classic championship game.