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California Rallies To Eliminate Anderson

INDIANA, Pa. -- California of Pennsylvania used a 20-2 run in the second half to take control of the game and went on to beat No. 15 Anderson University 68-55 in the second round of the NCAA Division II East Regional Saturday at Indiana of Pennsylvania's Memorial Fieldhouse. Cal, 26-6 overall, advances to play the winner of the Mount Olive-Shepherd game in Monday regional final at 7 p.m. The loss ends another banner season for Anderson, the Conference Carolinas regular-season champion, at 28-4. The game was the final one for Anderson -- 6-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament -- in the East Region. Conference Carolinas moves to the South Atlantic Region in 2008-09. The Lady Trojans built an eight-point lead in the first half and led 34-30 at the break. Anderson led by nine -- 46-37 -- with 13:59 remaining in the game before Cal's physical full-court pressure started taking effect. Anderson shot just 26 percent (10-39) in the second half. "Cal played stunningly good defense to play that physical and us only shoot five free throws in the second half," said Anderson head coach Jeff Dow. "They made more shots than we did in the second half, and they had several transition opportunities. They took us out of our flow offensively." When Cal finished its decisive eight-and-a-half minute run, its lead was 57-48 with 5:24 to play. Anderson got no closer than six the rest of the way. Cal placed five players of the eight players on its roster in double figures. Kayla Smith scored 23 points to lead the Vulcans. Lindsay Johnson scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Brooque Williams scored 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, and Shaquetta Mance tallied 10. Anderson was led by Keana Boyd with 13 points, Nikki Anthony with 12 points and 16 rebounds, and Alexa Neal with 11. After making three 3-point goals in the first half, Neal did not score a point in the second half after turning an ankle minutes into the second half. Genia Holbrook also recorded double figures in rebounds for Anderson with 10. The double-double was Anthony's 18th this season. The Lady Trojans, 6-for-10 from behind the arc in the first half, were 0-for-10 from behind the arc in the second half. For the game, Cal shot 40 percent from the field while limiting Anderson to 28 percent. "We knew the pressure was coming," Dow said. "We had film, we had scouted them, and we played them last year. I guess they figured they were better served to play a physical full-court game than to let us get into our set plays in the halfcourt." The two teams combined for 41 turnovers -- 22 by Anderson and 19 by Cal. Cal had 20 assists on 27 baskets. Crystal Andrews had a game-high seven assists for the Vulcans. Anderson was 10-for-10 from the line in the first half but made just one of five free throws in the second half. "They pressed us and played physical for 40 minutes and we shot just 15 free throws," Dow said. "That's bizarre." Anderson's 55 points was its third-lowest point total of the season and its lowest since scoring just 50 points in a victory over Mount Olive on Jan. 5. Box: California (Pa.) 68, Anderson 55 Anderson University Women's Basketball Statistics

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