Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Women's Basketball Team punched their ticket to the 3C2A State Championship with an impressive 63-42 victory over Grossmont College on Saturday, March 8. The win secures the Mounties' spot in the elite eight, as their record improves to 26-4, while Grossmont finishes their season at 24-6 after an exciting year.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Mt. SAC started strong with a quick three-pointer, followed by two free throws from Daisia Mitchell and a layup by Taliyah McFerson, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. However, Grossmont fought back with a three-pointer from Kyla Palpallatock and free throws from Anayla Anderson to narrow the gap. The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair with four lead changes, but Ryann Riddle gave the Mounties the lead with a jump shot and free throw, ending the first quarter with a 17-14 advantage.

Though Mt. SAC held the lead throughout the remainder of the game, the second period was tight, with Grossmont continually threatening. Aanisah Moncrief's steal turned layup, along with Mitchell's six points and four rebounds, helped maintain the Mounties' lead. Chaya Scott's three-pointer and free throw kept the Griffins within striking distance, but Mt. SAC went into halftime with a 35-24 lead.

The Mounties continued to excel in the third quarter, adding 13 more points. Notably, Anderson was the sole scorer for Grossmont in the period, adding and impressive 10 points, including six-for-six from the free throw line.

Mt. SAC's strong fourth quarter sealed the victory, with Alana Diaz contributing seven points and three rebounds, while McFerson pulled down six key rebounds to bolster the defense.

In the end, Mt. SAC dominated in several critical areas, including rebounding (48-25), assists (15-5), and points in the paint (38-10). Grossmont struggled against Mt. SAC's tough defense, shooting just 29.5% from the field and committing 18 turnovers.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Alana Diaz (Mt. SAC): 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
• Daisia Mitchell (Mt. SAC): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
• Taliyah McFerson (Mt. SAC): 13 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
• Anayla Anderson (Grossmont): Game-high 16 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
• Janea Wilson (Grossmont): 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks

NEXT UP:

The No. 2 seeded Mt. SAC Mounties will face the No. 3 seeded Sierra College Wolverines (25-4) in the 3C2A State Championship on Friday, March 14, at 7:00 PM. The championship will be hosted at Mt. SAC, and fans are encouraged to come out and support the team as they compete for the state title. Good luck, ladies!

TICKETS:

$15.00 – General Admission for Adults

$10.00 – General Admission for Senior Citizens (60+)

$10.00 – Students with Proper Identification

$10.00 – Children

Free – Six and Under

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Women's Basketball on Twitter @MtSAC_WBKB or Instagram /mt.sacwbk/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.