SANTA CRUZ, CA -- UC Santa Cruz allowed eleven second half points as the Banana Slugs cruised past Chapman University 64-36 on Saturday at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Saturday's game was the second of a back-to-back-to-back. 

UC Santa Cruz was coming off a 70-41 win over Whittier College on Friday in Santa Cruz. The Panthers were coming off a 64-60 loss to Trinity University (TX) in Orange last Friday.

The Panthers would hold their largest lead of two, on two occasions, the second coming with 17:17 left in the half, at 4-2 after two Natalia Ebrahimian free throws. The Slugs would then go on a 16-0 run capped by a Sara Crane layup with 9:35 left to make the score 18-4. The Panthers would respond with a 21-7 half ending run which was capped by a Lauren Sato three point buzzer beater to tie the game at 25-25 going into the halftime break. 

In the second half, the Slugs would take a 28-25 lead on a Geena Giovannetti three pointer. The Banana Slugs would not relinquish the lead as they would then go on a 15-3 run capped by an Erin Joo three pointer with 9:51 left to give the Banana Slugs a 43-30 lead. The Banana Slugs would expand their lead to twenty eight, their largest of the game, at 64-36 with fifty seven seconds left on a Trina Torres layup. Jaime Hum-Nishikado would miss a jumper before the end of regulation and the Banana Slugs would win 64-36.

Giovannetti had a game-high fifteen points for the Banana Slugs. Hum-Nishikado had twelve points, off the bench, for the Panthers. Joo and Sarah Mackey both had eleven points for the Banana Slugs in the victory. Mackey also had eleven rebounds for the double double. Ivory Hallstein had seven points for the Poets. 

The Banana Slugs shot 41.2% (21-51) from the field, 46.2% (6-13) from the three point line and was 76.2% (16-21) from the free throw line. The Panthers shot 23.5% (12-51) from the field, 50% (7-14) from the three point line and 83.3% (5-6) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced twenty six Panther turnovers scoring twenty three points off the turnovers while the Panthers' defense forced eleven turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring ten points off the turnovers. Chapman outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 37-33 but UC Santa Cruz had one more point off the bench (17-16) than did Chapman. 

The next game for the Banana Slugs will be Sunday as they wrap up their weekend homestand against Lawrence University at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Tipoff is set for 3 pm.