LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Dec. 29, 2008) – Rush Gymnasium served as the site for the second women's basketball tournament in as many weeks when Occidental hosted co-sponsor Chapman University, UC Santa Cruz and Bethel University at the 2008 Tiger-Panther Classic. On day one Chapman defeated Bethel 58-45 in the opening game before Oxy claimed a 54-44 victory over UCSC in game two.

Chapman led for the first five minutes of the game but with just under 15 minutes to play in the opening half Bethel took a lead that would build to as much as a seven-point advantage. Everything changed in the final 1:26 of the half when the Panthers' Lauren Kamiyama scored 10 consecutive points on three 3-pointers and a foul-shot to finish off a four point play in the final seconds of the half giving CU a 34-29 lead at the break.

The Panthers controlled the momentum in the second half of action, limiting the Royals, who shot 55% from the field in the first half on 11-for-20 shooting, to just 3-for-22 shooting to finish with a 33.3 shooting percentage overall.

Each team pulled down 42 rebounds, but Chapman doubled up Bethel with 20 total offensive boards. In the first half The Panthers held a 10-2 offensive rebounding edge.

Annegret Nautsch led all players with 13 rebounds for the Royals while adding five blocks. BU finished with 10 blocks as a team with Autumn Beasley and Taylor Sheley each blocking two shots.

Bethel (3-3) looked to the bench for 25 points, sparked by a game-high 16-point performance from Beasley who was 4-for-7 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers on two shots, and was perfect at the stripe going 6-for-6.

Chapman (8-6), who shot 27.5% from the field as a team, had two players finish in double figures scoring behind Kamiyama's 15 and Andrijana Kerkez who finished with 10. Kerkez and Mary Petrie each grabbed eight rebounds for the Panthers. Chapman forced 30 turnovers, with three players finishing with three steals apiece, and scored 24 of their points off turnovers.

In the final game of the night Occidental College and UC Santa Cruz battled on the court for the second time this season. The result was the same as the first meeting with the Tigers earning a 54-44 victory.

Tied at 11 with 11:45 to play in the opening stanza, Occidental used a 10-2 run to open up a comfortable 34-19 halftime lead.

Although the Slugs made a late run, chipping away at a 21-point Tigers' lead to pull within six points at 50-44 with 1:54 to play in regulation, Oxy held on for the win.

Overall the Tigers shot 40.4% from the field after opening with a 56.5 clip in the first half. Stephanie Babij led all players with 18 points (7-for-10 from the field) as the only Tiger to reach double figures. She led a force that was strong inside, scoring 28 points in the paint overall.

Madeline Rose had a game-high four assists while Brianne Brown collected four of Oxy's nine steals, adding three assists and five rebounds.

Occidental (6-3) held a 39-26 rebounding advantage with 14 offensive boards to the Banana Slugs' five. Rose had 10 to lead all players in the game with five on each end of the court. Babij grabbed eight and Ahsa Jordan finished with seven. Oxy scored 12 second chance points while the Slugs managed to score just four second chance points.

UCSC (4-9) finished the game shooting 37.8% overall and looked to Melissa Junge for 15 points to lead the team, also the only player to reach double figures. Jen Marquez dished out three assists and Molly Davisson had six rebounds for the Slugs.

Turnovers hurt both teams as Oxy committed 20 and UCSC had 19. The teams scored 21 and 12 points off turnovers, respectively.

The tournament will conclude tomorrow with UC Santa Cruz playing Chapman University at 5:00 p.m. followed by Bethel and Occidental at 7:00 p.m.