LA VERNE, Calif. — Clarissa Perez scored more than 30 points for the eighth time this season, the Leopards got 29 points from the bench, but the University of La Verne women's basketball team couldn't jump back in front of the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, falling at home Wednesday night 77-74.
Perez finished with 34 points, 14 coming in the opening quarter, to go with five three-pointers, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Perez ranks second in the nation with 23.6 points per game based on the last cumulative NCAA stat report.
The Leopards led by four at the end of the first quarter but Pomona-Pitzer outscored La Verne by seven in the second quarter to take a 40-37 point lead into the break. The Sagehens and Leopards each scored 37 points in the second half.
The difference in the game came at the charity stripe. Pomona-Pitzer knocked down 26 of 32 attempts while La Verne converted just eight of 22 attempts.
Guard Nyjeeiah Ganan scored nine points off the bench. Bailey Kurahashi knocked down a pair of three-pointers and finished with eight points. Kayla Chism led La Verne with six boards.
The Sagehens were led by Emma Godfrey's 35 points.
La Verne falls to 5-19 overall and 3-12 in the SCIAC. Pomona-Pitzer improves to 7-17 overall and 4-11 in the conference.
Next Game: The Leopards will celebrate seniors Kayla Chism and Kristi Sakamoto when La Verne plays their final game of the season and celebrates Senior Day, this Saturday at home against Caltech at 4 p.m.