NCAA Division II Women’s Playoff : It Wasn’t Exactly Pretty, but Cal Poly Pomona Advances, 56-44

The Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team had not played in nine days and it showed in its NCAA Division II West Regional title game against Chico State.

Pomona committed 24 turnovers and made only 38.6% of its shots, but the Broncos still managed to score a relatively easy 56-44 win over Chico State Tuesday night at Kellogg Gym in Pomona.

The victory improved Pomona’s record to 27-2 and moved the second-ranked Broncos into the Division II quarterfinals against North Dakota State (26-3) on Friday in Pomona. The Broncos, two-time defending Division II champions, defeated North Dakota State for the title last year.

Chico State, which was ranked No. 17 in Division II, finished at 23-7.

Pomona Coach Darlene May said her team may have been a little sluggish after playing its last game in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. final on Feb. 28.

Fortunately for the Broncos, their defense was strong as usual. Chico made only 28.2% of its field-goal attempts.

“Normally we’re a more balanced team,” Chico Coach Fran Coslet said. “We just couldn’t buy a basket in the first half.”

The Wildcats, who made only 22.6% of their shots in the first half, used the shooting of forward Deann Carlson to stay close to the Broncos early in the game.

But Chico scored only three points in the final 11 minutes of the half as the Broncos opened a 27-15 halftime lead.

The Wildcats never got closer, and Pomona extended its lead to as many as 17 points midway through the second half.

Pomona was led on offense by McCoy, who scored 19 points and had 7 assists and was named the West Regional’s most valuable player. Forward Marcine Edmonds added 10 points and 6 rebounds, and guard Paula Tezak had 8 points and 16 rebounds.

Tezak was particularly effective on the offensive boards, where she had 10 of her rebounds.

“I don’t want to take anything away from anyone else but she got 16 rebounds and she’s only 5-8,” May said. “That’s desire for you.”