Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. —  Sophomore 6-foot-4 center Sarah Nelson scored a team- and-career high 26 points, 20 in a dominating first-half performance, but it took a total team effort for the Dominican University of California women's basketball to escape with a thrilling 93-91 victory over Cal State Stanislaus in the Lady Penguins' home opener at the Conlan Center Saturday afternoon.

Yvonne Sanchez's two foul shots with .9 second remaining were the difference.

The visiting Warriors, in their season debut, had rallied from the 14-point deficit to tie the game with 14.3 seconds remaining when Nelson committed her fifth foul of the game on a made 3-point shot by Lauren Godde. But Godde, who tallied 27 of her game-high 39 points in the second half, couldn't convert the resulting free throw into a go-ahead four-point play.

That set up the game-winning play. It called for Sanchez, a transfer from Citrus College, to come off a double screen set by Jasmine Cox and Kimi Nakamura, take a side inbounds pass from Danielle Yamauchi and drive baseline to the basket.

“She is one of our players who can create her own shot,” Head Coach Brianna Chambers explained.

That's not all the Dominican coach said.

“She just said, 'we need you to score right now. We're going to put it on your back,'” said Sanchez.

The play worked perfectly, as Sanchez drew a foul attempting to make a reverse layup. She rattled in the first free throw and swished the second.

The 93 points was the most by the Lady Penguins (1-2) in their four-year NCAA Division II history and the most they have scored in a game since beating Pacific Union College 102-45 at home on Nov. 18, 2009.

“This was an intense game,” said Chambers. “When we absolutely needed a bucket, we got it.”

Led by Nelson, the Lady Penguins shot 54 percent from the floor in the non-conference game and they looked to be in good shape when, with Nelson in foul trouble, Lauren Hyatt, her replacement, scored for a 68-55 advantage with 13:56 left. But the Warriors reeled off nine consecutive points before Dominican freshman Jessy Marshall nailed a 3-pointer to thwart one of many runs by Cal State Stanislaus in the second half.

For the game, Nelson made 11-of -13 shots while Nakamura connected on 9-of-16 in scoring 22 points. Cox added 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals and Sanchez was the fourth Dominican player to score in double figures with 10. Yamauchi had a game-high six assists and senior Stephanie Carnes netted all seven of her points in the second half including clutch free throws after Cal State Stanislaus had whittled a 65-51 deficit to 87-18 with 1:43 to play.

Nelson, who had only five rebounds and two points in 15 minutes off bench when the Lady Penguins lost to the Warriors last season in Turlock, gave Cal State Stanislaus fits of frustration in an amazing 15-minute effort in the first half Saturday. She scored 20 of the Lady Penguins' 44 points, connecting on 9-of-10 shots including a nifty left-hand hook across the lane. She also grabbed 12 rebounds (five on the offensive end, which she converted into baskets) and blocked seven shots and recorded two assists in that 15-minute span.

The Lady Penguins are off for 10 days before returning to the Conlan Center on Tuesday, Nov. 27, to host former California Pacific Conference rival Menlo College in another non-conference contest. Game time is 6:00 p.m. Live coverage will be available at www.dominicanathletics.com/live.