SANTA CRUZ, CA -- UC Santa Cruz used a strong first half defensive effort to defeat Menlo College 71-57 in front of a raucous crowd at West Field House Thursday. The win marked the second in as many years against the Banana Slugs' NAIA Division II opponent. 

UC Santa Cruz was coming off a 43-40 loss to Westmont College last Thursday in Santa Cruz and Menlo won their last game 67-57 over CSU San Marcos on Saturday in Oceanside.

The Banana Slugs would start the game quickly as they scored the first two baskets of the ballgame and would lead the game 6-2 with 16:39 left on a Sarah Mackey jumper. The Oaks would climb back into the game and would take the lead, at 8-7, on two Aaliyah Sowards free throws with 14:56 left in the half. The Oaks would take their largest lead of the ballgame at three, at 10-7, after two Vanessa D'Amico free throws with 13:56 remaining in the half. The Banana Slugs would then go on a 14-2 run, capped by a Leah Parrish three pointer with 10:40 left in the half, to make the score 21-12. The Banana Slugs would expand their lead to the largest of the ballgame at fourteen, at 37-23, on a Sarah Mackey free throw with 1:29 left in the half. Menlo would outscore UC Santa Cruz 5-2 over the remaining time in the half as the Banana Slugs led 39-28 at the halftime intermission. 

The Banana Slugs expand their lead to thirteen twice in the first minute and a half of the second half; the second time at 43-30 after a Sara Crane layup with 18:31 left in the game. The Oaks would then go on a 15-2 run, capped by an Emma Briggs free throw with 11:36 left, to tie the game at 45-45. The two teams would trade baskets, and the lead, for the next six minutes of clock time. After Laurel Donnenwirth of Menlo hit a free throw to tie the game at 54-54, Ashley Holmes would hit a three pointer to give the Banana Slugs the lead for good, at 57-54, with 5:16 left. The Holmes three pointer was the start of a 17-3 game ending run by the Banana Slugs as the Banana Slugs won 71-57. 

Parrish had a double double with a game high nineteen points and a game high seventeen rebounds. Laurel Donnenwirth had a double double with fifteen points and fifteen rebounds for the Oaks. Mackey had twelve points and Sarah Fitzgerald for the Banana Slugs in the win. Emma Briggs had ten points, off the bench, for the Oaks. 

The Banana Slugs shot 43.5% (27-62) from the field, 38.5% (5-13) from the three point line and was 75% (12-16) from the free throw line. The Oaks shot 27.7% (18-65) from the field, 17.6% (3-17) from the three point line and 75% (18-24) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced nineteen Oak turnovers scoring twenty three points off the turnovers while the Oaks' defense forced fifteen turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring sixteen points off the turnovers. Menlo outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 47-45 but the Banana Slugs had ten more assists (19-9) than did the Oaks. 

The Banana Slugs' next game is next Saturday as they take on NCCAA opponent Bethesda University of California at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 pm.