SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco State women's basketball team wrapped up its 2008-09 regular-season schedule in style Friday night with a 50-43 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest at the Main Gymnasium.
With the victory, the Gators improve to 14-13 overall and 8-12 in conference play, while the Coyotes slip to 10-16 on the year and 8-12 in the CCAA. The win also means SF State will travel to Cal State Dominguez Hills for the first round of the CCAA playoffs on Tuesday, March 3.
Donisha Tate (Oakland, California, Oakland, Las Posita College) posted her sixth double-double of the season, matching her season high of 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting to go along with a game-best 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, Krystle Mays (Long Beach, California, Chatsworth) also reached double figures with 11 points and came away with a game-high three steals.
Despite shooting just 16-of-61 (26. 2 percent) from the floor, the Gator defense once again displayed its brilliance, limiting CSUB to just 14 points in the second half on 5-of-28 field goals (17.9 percent), including an 0-for-9 clip from beyond the 3-point arc. SF State also enjoyed a tremendous 55-36 advantage in rebounding, including a 19-5 edge on the offensive glass.
The two teams battled one another in the early going, with the Gators jumping out to a 12-7 lead courtesy of Desiree Butler's (Lancaster, California, Lancaster, Pasadena City College) 3-pointer at the 14:39 mark. However, the Coyotes responded with a 10-3 run to take their first lead of the night at 17-15 following a triple by Jaclyn Rainville with 11:19 left in the period.
Despite a field-goal drought of nearly seven minutes, SF State remained in contention, as consecutive jumpers by Madeleine Schwartz (San Rafael, California, Terra Linda, Arizona State University) and Tate knotted the score at 20-20 with 5:20 remaining. However, CSUB regained the upper hand with a 5-0 spurt over the next 1:44, eventually settling for a 29-26 advantage at intermission.
The Gators came out of the break in earnest, scoring the first eight points of the period to take the lead for good at 34-29. After a Rainville basket pulled the visitors to within 36-35 at the 12:35 mark, SF State staged a 9-0 run over the ensuing 6:16 to give itself some breathing room at 45-35. The Coyotes misfired on 10 consecutive field goals during that span until a jumper by Artaisha Waters broke the drought with 5:45 to go in the contest. The Gators then salted away the victory with a Tate jumper and two free throws by Jessica Hout-Freeman (Fremont, California, Washington) in the closing minutes.
Rainville was the only CSUB player to reach double figures, posting 12 points to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds.
Prior to Friday's game, SF State honored its three seniors, Desiree Butler, Krystle Mays and Jaime Hall as part of its Senior Night celebration.
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