By Ron Smith
February 24, 2024
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Women's Basketball (12-14, 8-10 PacWest) scored the first 16 points of Saturday night's PacWest Conference game against Hawai'i Hilo (12-13, 9-10) on their way to a 63-42 victory in Murchison Gymnasium.
 
The Warriors led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and never had less than a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
 
Sophomore guard Sage Kramer recorded a double-double – the seventh of her career – consisting of 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Warriors. She also collected three steals. Destiny Okonkwo added 12 points to the Warrior totals and tallied five rebounds.
 
Bailey Fong notched nine points and three assists while Aleena Cook recorded eight points and eight rebounds.
 
Fong began the 16-point run at the start of the game by draining a three. Okonkwo scored in the lane off an offensive rebound before Madi Bogan hit a jumper after a steal by Fong. Okonkwo followed with a layup to make it a 9-0 game.
 
A jumper by Cook stretched the Warrior advantage to 11-0 before Kramer scored her first points with a triple at the buzzer. Cook scored again on a layup in the first minute of the second quarter to complete the run. By halftime, Westmont held a 30-15 advantage.
 
In the third quarter, an old-fashioned three-point play by Molly Garnand gave Westmont its first 20-point lead (39-19) with 4:23 to play in the penultimate period. By the time the quarter was over, Westmont was up 48-24.
 
The Vulcans outscored the Warriors 18-15 in the final frame, but it was too little, too late.
 
Westmont has two games remaining in the regular season. On Wednesday, the Warriors will host the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific (19-7, 13-5). Then on Saturday, the Warriors will celebrate senior night before taking on the Golden Eagles of Concordia (12-13, 10-9).