Dominican University of California (18-10, 15-5) topped off an incredible regular season with a lop-sided 82-57 over the Academy of Art on Senior Day.
Redshirt senior
Brittney Cedeno led the way for the offense on her senior day, connecting for 15 points while adding four assists and a pair of steals. Sophomore
Alaiyah San Juan and junior
Jenna Duley notched 12 apiece in addition to both draining a pair of 3-pointers while freshman
Keyonee Neal found double-digits for the 11th straight game as she finished with 10. Seven Dominican players earned buckets from beyond the arc as the team went 12-24 from deep, good enough for 50% as they continue to find their stride from 3-point land while also shooting 46% from the field as a whole.
The scoring started early and often for the Penguins as Cedeno dished a pass from inside the paint to a wide open San Juan who hit the first basket from downtown to help kick start a 10-0 Dominican run that was capped by a Duley 3-pointer. San Juan buried another long ball on Dominican's next possession after the Urban Knights did the same before Dominican found itself on another large run, this time an 11-0 streak that ended that ended the same as before, with a Duley 3-pointer before Dominican ended the quarter with a 26-10 lead.
Duley's strong first quarter play transitioned into the next frame as she scored Dominican's first basket immediately after snagging an offensive board. Cedeno found herself on the free throw line after a successful layup minutes later, finishing the 3-point play from the stripe after getting an and-1 call due to contact taken on the basket. A
Mikayla Amoroso bucket was followed by a Cedeno 3-pointer from the top of the key as the rain started to pour in the Conlan Center with
Maiya Flores hitting a long ball moments later before a San Juan jumper concluded the half with Dominican leading 43-28.
Amoroso welcomed the foes to the floor with a layup that was assisted by San Juan, preceding a pair of buckets courtesy of San Juan and Neal as Dominican was the only team to find the score sheet through the first four minutes of the third frame. The Penguins used the latter portion of the half to further extend its lead with
Alex Salise also finding the 3-point column to help her side take a 20-point, 58-38 lead into the final frame.
The Dominican lead was immediately extended with much thanks being given to graduate student
Abreanna Lake and Cedeno who combined for three straight buckets to put Dominican up 27 with Cedeno's coming from beyond the arc. Dominican consistently led by 30 throughout the final 10 minutes as the shots continued to fall from deep with Flores notching her second of the game before sophomore
Jazmine Barnes went back-to-back from deep. Art U was able to somewhat close the gap but the blowout still stood tall as Dominican marched away with an 82-57 victory.