RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Interstat) — UC Riverside led wire-to-wire in a 77-59 victory over Long Beach State in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at UCR Rec Center. The Highlanders (6-10, 2-1 Big West) built a 34-26 halftime lead and pulled away by outscoring the 49ers 21-7 in the third quarter. Hannah Wickstrom led all scorers with 21 points for UC Riverside. Taylor Swanson added 16 points and Maya Chocano scored 13. JaQuoia Jones-Brown scored 15 points for Long Beach State (1-15, 0-3), which shot just 31.3% from the floor. The 49ers committed 13 turnovers, leading to a decisive efficiency gap. UC Riverside shot 45.3% from the field and made 10 3-pointers. Attendance was 157.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Interstat) — The UC Riverside Highlanders used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Long Beach State 49ers and secure a 77-59 victory in a Big West Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the UCR Rec Center. A crowd of 157 watched the Highlanders improve to 6-10 overall, while the 49ers fell to 1-15. The game’s decisive stretch came immediately after halftime. Leading by 12 points, UC Riverside opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run, holding Long Beach State scoreless for nearly six minutes. The Highlanders outscored the 49ers 21-7 in the period, turning a competitive contest into a comfortable lead that would not be challenged. UC Riverside’s efficiency was the story. The Highlanders scored 77 points on just 68 possessions, an offensive rating of 113.7, while Long Beach State managed only 59 points on 75 possessions, a rating of 79.1. The Highlanders shot 45% from the field and connected on 10 3-pointers, compared to the 49ers’ 31% shooting and 6 made 3s. Hannah Wickstrom led all scorers with 21 points for UC Riverside, adding three assists and a block. Taylor Swanson provided 16 points, and Maya Chocano came off the bench to score 13, all in the second half. Kaylani Polk facilitated the offense with a game-high five assists. For Long Beach State, JaQuoia Jones-Brown finished with 15 points and Morgan Mack added 11. Kennan Ka contributed 10 points, four assists and a block. The first half was more closely contested. UC Riverside built an early lead, finishing the first quarter up 18-14. The Highlanders maintained their advantage throughout the second quarter, taking a 34-26 lead into the break behind balanced scoring and stronger ball security, committing only three first-half turnovers to Long Beach State’s seven. Any hope of a 49ers comeback was extinguished in the third quarter. The Highlanders’ defensive pressure forced Long Beach State into difficult shots and turnovers, which UC Riverside converted into easy baskets at the other end. The run featured transition scores and timely 3-pointers, stretching the lead to 55-33 by the end of the period. Long Beach State showed fight in the fourth quarter, scoring 26 points, but the deficit was too large to overcome. The 49ers never got closer than 15 points in the final period. UC Riverside’s ball movement and shot selection proved superior, as evidenced by a 19-9 advantage in assists. The Highlanders also won the turnover battle, committing just seven giveaways while forcing 13 from Long Beach State. The victory gives UC Riverside momentum heading into a Saturday road game at Cal State Fullerton. Long Beach State, mired in a lengthy losing streak, will look to regroup quickly as it hosts Cal State Northridge on Saturday. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, UC Riverside entered the game with an 82.90 percent probability to win, a projection borne out by their commanding second-half performance. The game was the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, who will meet again in Long Beach on Jan. 29.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Interstat) — Two Big West women’s basketball teams seeking momentum will meet Thursday when the UC Riverside Highlanders host the Long Beach State 49ers at the UCR Rec Center. The Highlanders (5-10, 1-1 Big West) enter with a clearer recent path, having split their first two conference games. They are coming off a 64-42 home victory over Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 8 before falling 70-54 at UC San Diego on Saturday. Guard Kaylani Polk has been a steadying force, averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 assists over her last three contests. Hannah Wickstrom led the Highlanders with 19 points in the loss to UC San Diego. Long Beach State (1-14, 0-2) continues to search for its first conference win amid a difficult season. The 49ers are on a four-game skid, most recently a 75-48 loss at Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday. Their lone victory came against Hope International, an NAIA opponent, on Dec. 29. The 49ers will lean heavily on guard JaQuoia Jones-Brown, who has been a consistent bright spot. She is averaging 16.6 points per game over her last five outings, including a 23-point performance in the win over Hope International and 16 points in the loss at Bakersfield. While UC Riverside has struggled overall, its home record (4-3) offers a contrast to Long Beach State’s road woes (0-7). The Highlanders’ defense will look to build on its dominant showing against Bakersfield, where they held the Roadrunners to 42 points. This matchup begins a key home stretch for UC Riverside, which plays three of its next four at the Rec Center. Long Beach State, meanwhile, aims to find footing before returning home to host Cal State Northridge on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST Thursday.