Box score

SAN DIEGO - A 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Sea Lions fell just short as the Point Loma women's basketball team nearly pulled off an upset of San Diego State in an exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 8.
 
PLNU and Jessica Escorza gave SDSU all it could handle, as it led for much of the second half and held the advantages with just over four minutes remaining, but the Aztecs avoided the upset with a 55-52 win.
 
Escorza was the best player on the court. She scored 26 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including three 3-pointers. She went 9-of-12 from the free throw line and also added a team-leading five rebounds. She scored 17 of her 26 points after halftime to turn a 10-point deficit at the break (29-19) into a four-point lead (39-35) with 10:54 remaining.
 
The Aztecs kept chipping away and tied the game on multiple occasions but PLNU answered each time. Sydney Tonack hit a jumper with 2:38 left to knot the game at 48-48. SDSU then went up by three on a layup by Lexi Thorderson with 36 second left before Escorza knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the lead back to one (53-52). PLNU then fouled the Aztecs who made both free throws to extend their to three with 20 seconds left.
 
The Sea Lions had a chance to answer as they worked the ball to Paola Roa for a 3-point attempt with six second left but her attempt to send the game to overtime came up short and the buzzer sounded moments later.
 
"We put out a good, collective effort," said PLNU senior guard Jesica Escorza. "Today we played really well together. We are very motivated to help each other get better. With more practice and games we are going to keep building team chemistry."
 
Madison West added 11 points and three 3-pointers for PLNU. She also had four assists, four rebounds and two steals. Erimma Amarikwa came off the bench to pace the Aztecs with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
 
PLNU outscored SDSU by 12 points from behind the arc and by five at the free throw line. The Sea Lions shot 64 percent in the second half to get back in the game after going just 4-of-26 from the floor in the first half. However, Point Loma was hurt on the boards as it was outrebounded 45-24, including 18-6 on the offensive glass.  
 
Point Loma will open its 2014-15 season at the PacWest/CCAA Conference Challenge on Friday, Nov. 14 against Cal Poly Pomona.