SAN FRANCISCO---- SF State's men's basketball team improved to 7-2 on the season as they defeated the Simpson University Redhawks, 86-43 this evening at the Swamp. The Gators held their visitors to just 23% shooting from the field and out-rebounded their 59-25 to key their non-conference victory. Junior transfer Ralph Nevarez (West Covina, California, East Los Angeles College)led the way for the Gators with 16 points and 11 rebounds. This was Nevarez's first double-double at SF State and also was a season high in points and rebounds.
            "I liked how hard we played this evening," said SF State Head Coach Bill Treseler.  "Jeremy Francis, Ralph Nevarez, and Joshua Hash (Eureka, California, College of the Redwoods)really gave us good production and energy," added Treseler.  "Tomorrow night will be a different challenge and we need to be up for that."

            Their were five ties in the first eight minutes of the game, and then the Gators outscored their visitors 29-9 to take a 44-24 lead (their largest of the half) capped by a Nevarez tip-in. Simpson (1-10) shot just 29% from the field in the first half while the Gators out-rebounded the Redhawks 32-11 in the stanza.

            Jeremy Francis (San Francisco, California, Mayville State University) three-pointer at the 11:10 mark capped a 17-8 run by the Gators in the first nine minutes of the second stanza as they built a 61-34 lead. This was one of three three-pointers by Francis (who finished with a season high 15 points). SF State increased its lead to 38 (79-41) on a Nefi Perdomo (Oakland, California, Skyline ) lay-up at the 4:04 mark as the Gators cruised to an 86-44 victory. The Gators held the Redhawks to just 16% shooting in the second half and also forced 12 turnovers including six by steals. 

            Besides Nevarez and Francis, the Gators had three other players in double figures in Derek Fletcher (San Jose, California, Branham)(13), Marquel Hoskins (Beloit, Wisconsin, Reedley College) (13), and Tim Pratt (Eureka, California, College of the Redwoods)(11). Hoskins also had six assists while Pratt had nine rebounds and three steals for the Gators. 

            Jason Stubbs led the way for the Redhawks with 14 points while Justin Sparks chipped in 13. 

            SF State will return home for its final non-conference game of the season tomorrow night at 7:30pm, when the Gators host Bay Area rival Notre Dame de Namur University.
Box Score