Box Score REDDING, Calif. - The Women's basketball team hosted UC Merced in a tough battle, falling to the Bobcats with a final score of 71-44.

The Red Hawks started the game strong, going on a 6-0 run to open up the first quarter, not allowing the Bobcats to score for more than five minutes of the first ten. 

UC Merced took the lead toward the end of the first, but the Red Hawks got it back toward the end of the first half. SU lead UCM, 30-26 going into the half. 

It was a back and forth battle for the first part of the third quarter before UC Merced pulled away. Simpson was unable to bounce back, ultimately falling, 71-44. 

Tymiko Patterson led the Red Hawks in scoring with 12 points, followed by Breesia Northern with 10 and Kayla Gairns with eight. Northern led SU in steals with four, followed by Ariadna Rubio with three and Patterson with two. 

Simpson will hit the road to play three straight nights in Arizona, starting with Park University Gilbert on January 28th, followed by Embry-Riddle on the 29th and Benedictine-Mesa on the 30th.