Riverside--The UC Riverside women's Basketball Team closed out its exhibition season Saturday evening with an 85-74 victory over visiting CBU. Rejane Verin and Annelise Ito combined to score 44 of the Highlanders points, making 17 of 30 shots from the field (Box Score/Play by Play).

UCR overcame a slow start, as well as an off shooting night from last year's Big West Conference Player of the Year, Brittany Crain. The Lancers led by two at the end of the first quarter and just one at the half, but the Highlanders took control of the game early in the third quarter thanks to a 16-2 run that was fueled by a defense that forced six steals in the period.

That defensive effort led to easy buckets, allowing them to shoot 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the floor, and turned a 39-36 deficit into a 52-41 advantage, a lead UC Riverside would never relinquish. 
Verin scored eight of her game-high 25 points during the run, and when the dust settled at the end of the quarter, UCR led 68-54.

Crain missed her first nine shots from the field on the evening, draining a three-pointer late in the game for her lone made field goal of the night. Michelle Curry gave UC Riverside a lift with 14 points on six of 10 shooting while Clemence Lefebvre made it a quartet of Highlanders in double figures with 10 points.

The Lancers got a team-high 24 points from Cassidy Mihalko as she sank seven of 12 from the floor, three of eight from long distance and seven of seven from the charity stripe. Her teammates also made their living beyond the arc making seven of 18 to keep the Lancers in the game. Cal Baptist did win the battle of the boards, grabbing 39 rebounds to the Highlanders 35.

The Highlanders tip off the 2015-16 regular season at the SRC Arena on Friday, November 13 at 4 pm PT against Fresno State.