The Blue Devils' erase a 9 point halftime deficit to beat the Panthers 73-72
Merced Edges Sacramento City 73-72 in Thrilling Final
On December 18, 2024, Merced College triumphed over Sacramento City with a narrow 73-72 victory in a hard-fought basketball game that came down to the final moments.
First Half: Sacramento City Establishes Lead
Sacramento City came out strong, dominating the first half. They stormed to a 35-26 lead in the opening quarter, with impressive shooting from Kyshanti King and Kamaya Jones. King finished the first half with 16 points, while Jones added 18 points through a mix of driving and shooting. Joyce Mulumba also had a standout performance, collecting 15 rebounds in the first half to help Sacramento City gain a solid 64-38 lead at the break.
Second Half: Merced's Comeback
Merced, however, had other plans. In the second half, they mounted an aggressive comeback, powered by Amelie Nunez, who finished the game with 24 points, and Anisa Heikimian, who tallied 10 points and 19 rebounds. Merced outscored Sacramento City 38-29 in the second half, with Nunez's 24-point performance leading the charge. Sacramento City struggled offensively in the second half, shooting just 31.7% (26-82) from the field, and the team was unable to keep pace with Merced's newfound energy.
Despite a strong finish from Sierra Tuliau, who finished the game with 20 points, Sacramento City was unable to score in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, and Merced capitalized on their opportunity, completing the comeback for a 73-72 win.
Key Performances
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Sacramento City: Kamaya Jones led the team with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Kyshanti King contributed 16 points and 7 rebounds. Joyce Mulumba had a strong performance with 10 points and 30 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to hold off Merced's late surge.
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Merced: Amelie Nunez was the game's standout performer, finishing with 24 points and 3 assists. Morgan Mitts also chipped in 18 points, and Anisa Heikimian posted 10 points and 19 rebounds to help Merced secure the victory.
Team Stats
- Sacramento City: 26-82 (31.7% FG), 11-44 (25.0% 3P), 9-25 (36.0% FT), 22 OREB, 38 DREB, 60 REB
- Merced: 30-102 (29.4% FG), 4-30 (13.3% 3P), 9-14 (64.3% FT), 17 OREB, 34 DREB, 51 REB
