Gilbert, Connor lead No. 15 Arizona women past Cal Baptist

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Freshman Kailyn Gilbert scored a career-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, Madison Connor hit five 3-pointers and finished with a career-best 22 points and No. 15 Arizona beat Cal Baptist 83-61 Friday night at the San Diego Thanksgiving Tournament.

Jade Loville hit a jumper and Connor took a steal coast-to-coast for a layup, then hit a 3-pointer that gave Arizona a 14-point lead with 8 minutes to play. Connor scored the last of her 10 fourth-quarter points when she made a 3-pointer and jumper 38 seconds apart to make it 73-59 with 4:30 remaining and the Wildcats led by double figures the rest of the way.

Gilbert, whose previous career high had been 16 points in Arizona’s 87-47 win over Cal State Northridge on Nov. 11, scored 17 on 7-of-9 shooting, 3 of 5 from 3-point range, in the first half and the Wildcats (5-0) took a 34-26 lead into the break.

Brittany Klaman hit a 3-pointer with 4:20 left in the first quarter that gave the Lancers a 9-7 lead, but they went scoreless until Trinity San Antonio made a free throw 12 seconds into the second quarter and didn’t make another field goal until Lesila Finau made a 3 with 8:30 left in the first half to end a 12-1 Arizona run.

Arizona stretched its lead to 16 points when Connor hit a 3-pointer with 2:14 left in the third quarter before Klaman and Finau made back-to-back 3-pointers and San Antonio made two free throws to pull Cal Baptist (2-3) to 56-49 going into the fourth.

San Antonio, who went in averaging a team-high 23.3 points on 51% shooting this season, made 5 of 16 from the field and finished with 15 points for the Lancers. Finau added 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

Esmery Martinez had 10 rebounds to go with seven points, three assists and two steals for the Wildcats.

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