Cuesta closed the first half on a 24-8 streak Saturday night en route to a 70-41 victory over SBCC in the Sports Pavilion.
Cuesta outshot the Vaqueros 49 to 30 percent and hit nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line (19-24). SBCC made just 4-13 from the charity stripe and committed 25 turnovers.
"Runs and turnovers have been plaguing us all year," noted coach Sandrine Krul. "We played great last game, then we can't transfer it over. My job is to find out what is happening to our players' mindfulness from practice to games. I'm going to spend Sunday looking at what is not working compared to what does work. I think it's our mental preparation."
Jerrica Crosby, a 5-11 forward, had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Cougars (17-5, 3-1 WSC North). The visitors from San Luis Obispo broke open a 13-11 game when Oliviah Gemperle scored two straight fast-break layups to ignite an 11-0 run. Cuesta led 37-19 at intermission.
Paige Nealy had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Vaqueros (5-13, 0-3). Andrea Morales added 11 points and seven rebounds and Stella Dulay also tallied 11 points. Victoria Jackson had five steals.
"We didn't execute our game plan," Krul added. "We put in a double gunner vs. their matchup zone and we didn't run it one time. Paige had a couple of great practices and she played her best game in a while."
Cuesta has won three in a row and six of its last seven. The Vaqueros got within 14 (43-29) after Nealy hit three straight baskets early in the second half but the visitors went on a 9-3 run to stretch the lead to 20 at 52-32 with 11:37 remaining.
The Vaqueros hit the road for two games next week – Wednesday at Ventura (7 p.m.) and Saturday at Hancock (5 p.m.).
