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Los Angeles, CA — Women's basketball played their first SCIAC game of the season in a home matchup with the Chapman Panthers on Wednesday night.

Oxy would get off to a quick start with Ainsley Shelsta leading the way, as she scored 12 of the Tigers' first 14 points and the team led 14-4 with three minutes to go in the 1st quarter. Michelle Lagunas-Monroy made a layup for Oxy late in the quarter but Chapman would respond with a small run to close the half to cut the Tiger lead to 7 points. 

The Panthers continued their run at the start of the 2nd quarter and made back to back baskets to cut the lead to 3. Oxy responded with a made layup from Shelsta and a made 3-pointer from Dominique Cabading to push their lead back to 8. 

Nearing the halfway mark of the quarter, Toni Thompson would make two baskets on back to back Oxy possessions and the lead quickly grew to 11 points. The Tiger lead remained that way for much of the rest of the quarter as both teams traded baskets for a while before Chapman was able to cut into the lead right before the end of the 1st half. 

The Panthers had the lead down to 5 points when Ainsley Shelsta made a layup with 3 seconds remaining in the quarter to give Oxy a 35-28 lead going into halftime. The third quarter started just as the 2nd had ended as Shelsta got a good look at the basket and made a layup. Oxy's lead would stay around 9 to 7 points as the teams once again were trading baskets on each end of the court. 

Micah Elegores made a jumper with 3:40 left in the 3rd quarter before Chapman responded by converting an and-1 opportunity to get the lead down to 5 points. After Oxy converted a free throw, a Panther's made jumper with 1:17 left in the quarter had the lead down to 4 points but Lagunas-Monroy and Cabading closed the quarter out with made layups to extend the lead back up to 8 heading into the final quarter. 

Chapman came out quick in the 4th quarter by making a pair of free throws and hitting a jumper on their first two possessions. Oxy's scoring leaders in the game responded on their next two possessions as Thompson and Shelsta made layups to get those points right back. 

Dara Tokeshi cashed in a big 3-pointer with 5:40 remaining in the game to make the score 57-48 Tigers. Ainsley Shelsta made a layup on the next possession and the lead had gotten to double-digits with only 4-minutes to go in the game. 

Chapman responded by working their way into the paint and getting to the free throw line to try to stop the clock while also putting points on the board and they were successful in getting their deficit down to 5 points with 2:26 to play. Toni Thompson stayed cool under pressure and knocked down a huge jumper on Oxy's next possession. 

The Tigers would pick up a big stop as they forced a Panther missed field goal and Dominique Cabading secured the rebound. Oxy turned the ball over on the next possession but forced a missed layup by the Panthers before securing another rebound and getting fouled to be sent to the free throw line. 

Cabading made one of two free throws and the Oxy lead was 63-55 with 1 minute to go in the game. Chapman responded with a made layup and Thompson was sent to the free throw line for Oxy and made the first of two shots but would miss the second so Oxy's lead was 64-57. 

The rest of the game included Oxy being sent to the free throw line as the Panthers attempted to come back with minimal time remaining. With 17 seconds left in the game Thompson was at the line again for Oxy and missed the second free throw, but Gabriela Etopio came up with a huge offensive rebound to essentially secure the win for Oxy. The final score would be 70-60 Tigers as Oxy picked up a huge SCIAC win. 

Ainsley Shelsta and Toni Thompson led the way offensively for Oxy in this game with 23 and 16 points, respectively. Thompson also secured 24 rebounds for Oxy and Gabriela Etopio was setting up teammates all game with 7 assists. 

Oxy's next game will come on Saturday, December 2nd at 4pm in Rush Gymnasium against the Whittier College Poets.