Vancouver, Wash. – The Titans used a 30-point second quarter to gain a 29-point halftime lead in their 82-42 win at Clark.
How it happened:
First quarter: It was a struggle offensively for both teams. The Titans had 13 points on 22.7 percent shooting and the Penguins had five points on 11.1 percent shooting. The Titans jumped out to a 10-0 lead and did not concede their first points until the 3:42 mark. After a Kalina Rojas basket made it 10-0, the Titans went 3:18 with no points until Mia Morey made a three to make it 13-4, their final points of the quarter.
Second quarter: After three points in the final five minutes of the first quarter, the Titans got eight points in the first 60 seconds of the second. The Titans' 19-0 run to start the quarter lasted until the 5:16 mark when Megan Fossen made two free throws that gave the Titans a 32-5 lead. Like the first quarter, the Titans went a little cold offensively in the final five minutes, this time only scoring 11 points with the final five coming from Mia Morey. Morey's three with seven seconds left made it 43-14 at half.
The Titans made 71.4 percent of their field goal's and 7-9 free throws with only one turnover, all while holding Clark to 22.2 percent shooting and 1-8 from three.
Third quarter: The third was more back and forth with both teams scoring five points in the first 2:10. A quick 5-0 run from Megan Fossen and Kalina Rojas over the next 56 seconds extended their lead to 34, 53-19. Six of the final seven points came from Rojas over the final 3:18 to keep up with the seven points scored by Clark and maintain their 34-point lead, 65-31.
It was a down quarter offensively with only 37.5 field goal percentage and 2-11 from three with a 41.7 field goal percentage against.
Fourth quarter: The Penguins scored first to start the quarter for the first time, scoring the first three points, but Mia Morey came back with five quick points. Morey's points were part of an 8-0 Titan run to the 8:08 mark, it extended their lead to a then game-high 39 points. With a massive lead the bench started to get minutes with Madison Hargett making two free throws with 3:50 remaining.
Two Vanessa Lopez free throws got the Titans lead to the 40-point mark with 3:33 to play. Those free throws were a part of a 4:38 stretch to end the game where the bench scored the final seven points and gave the Titans a 40-point win, 82-42.
What stood out:
82 points: The Titans are now 11-2 when scoring 80 points or more … 12 steals: The Titans are 7-0 with double-digit made threes … 19 made free throws and 79.2 percent made: The Titans are 5-0 when making double-digit free throws whiles making at least 75 percent of them; 7-2 when at 70 percent or better … 14 offensive rebounds: The Titans are 15-1 with double-digit offensive rebounds.
Who stood out:
Kalina Rojas: 27 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks; her first 20-point game in last three; ninth 20-point game of the season; 16th double-double, 11th in 12 games … Aolani Talamaivao-Calderon: 15 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal; third double figure scoring game in last four; season-high 10 rebounds … Mia Morey: 19 points, two rebounds, two steals and five made threes; career-high 19 points; career-high five made threes.
What it means:
Titans (16-4, 5-2) move into a tie for second place with their win a Clackamas loss versus Umpqua, Titans hold the tie breaker via their head-to-head win at Clackamas. The Titans are two games behind Umpqua.
What's next:
The Titans host fifth place Linn-Benton (15-5, 4-3) on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. It is the Titans annual Jam the Gym with free admission with a canned good.