RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside finished up a brief but final non-conference home stretch on Saturday afternoon at the SRC Arena with a 49-47 win over LIU Brooklyn.
The Highlanders racked up 14 assists on 19 made field goals, but made their mark on the glass in Saturday’s matinee with a 46-25 edge, including a season-high 15 on the offensive glass that led to a 10-0 advantage on second-chance points. UCR has now allowed its two lowest point totals in its last two games.
UC Riverside overcame a sluggish start out of the gate and made up for it with a 9-0 run that flipped the script on the Highlanders’ first East Coast visitor to the SRC Arena since 2018. Matehya Bryant spurred the Highlanders ahead with the hot hand early, hitting five straight field goals.
Bryant continued her dominance and put up a monster performance in UCR’s second win of the season with career highs of 18 points and 17 rebounds. Her 17 boards are the most by a Highlander in a game since Natasha Hadley’s 18 against CSUN on March 9, 2013.
Jordan Webster was two rebounds shy of a double double with 12 points and 8 rebounds, while UCR’s freshman duo of Jordyn Marshall and Zoe Tillery logged three assists each.
UC Riverside maintained just a comfortable enough cushion off of a 25-20 halftime lead to prevent LIU from coming within striking distance, but the lead shrank upon entering the fourth quarter. The Highlanders grinded out win number two of the year thanks to another clutch performance down the stretch, as Bryant knocked down a jumper with 28 seconds left to seal her…
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