REDDING, Calif. - Simpson University women's basketball takes down UC Merced, 75-63.

The Red Hawks defense suffocated the Bobcats, holding them to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor.  UC Merced shot just 2/18 from beyond the arc on the evening.

Simpson led by as much as 16 in the 3rd quarter before finding themselves on the wrong end of a 15-2 run that got UC Merced back into the game. Simpson responded with six straight points from Shayla Smothers to begin the 4th quarter that started a run that  ended up icing the game.

Simpson received a game-high 20 points from Esther Wofford, who added five rebounds in 33 minutes of action. Whitney Rodriguez records her third double-double of the year finishing with 16 points and 13 boards.  Off the bench, Shayla Smothers finished in double figures for the first time this season tallying 11 points.

The Red Hawks improve to 11-11 on the year and 4-2 in Cal Pac Conference play.

Simpson will take on Cal Maritime on Saturday, January 21st in the James Grant Center at 6:30 pm.