Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO – Emily Osga scored a game-high 18 points to lead the top-ranked UC San Diego women's basketball team past host San Francisco State, 68-55, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game Saturday at The Swamp.
The Gators were unable to overcome a 36-24 halftime deficit, falling to 6-14 overall and 5-9 in conference play, while the Tritons kept their unblemished record intact, improving to 20-0 overall and 14-0 in the CCAA.
“Against good teams you have to play well; against great teams you have to play perfect, but tonight we were not able to play a perfect game against the best team in the country,” said SF State head coach Joaquin Wallace. “Hopefully we can learn from this game and continue our momentum for the remainder of the season.”
Despite the loss, the Gators remain just a game behind Sonoma State for seventh place in the league standings as the jockeying begins for the final playoff spots in the CCAA Tournament next month.
Osga connected on 7 of 10 field-goal attempts, including a 4-for-7 clip from beyond the 3-point arc, while Chelsea Carlisle finished with 16 points and a game-best five assists. Daisy Feder reached the double-digit scoring plateau as well, chipping in 13 points and to go along with four dishes of her own.
SF State also received balanced scoring from a trio of players, led by
Nicole Hicks, who tallied 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while
Lauren Varney contributed 11 points to go along with eight caroms. Not to be outdone,
Farrah Shokoor notched her second straight double-double and third of the season after totaling 10 points and a game-best 12 rebounds.
Despite owning a 45-35 advantage in rebounds, including an 18-10 spread on the offensive glass, the Gators connected on just 21 of their 62 shots from the floor (33.9 percent), while UCSD went 27-for-61 from the field (44.3 percent), including a 10-for-28 clip from 3-point range.
SF State crept ahead 6-4 following a pair of Varney free throws; however, Osga nailed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the visitors up to stay 7-6 with 15:27 remaining in the first half.
UCSD gradually widened the margin over the next 10 minutes, capitalizing on some key Gator misfires in the paint, as a triple by Feder provided a 29-17 cushion with 5:42 to go in the half.
SF State drew to within nine points on three occasions, including a 33-24 spread following a Varney jumper with 24 seconds left on the clock, but Carlisle hit a 3-pointer from the left corner as the buzzer sounded to give the Tritons a 36-24 bulge heading into intermission.
Stung, the Gators could not put together enough of a serious run in the second half as UCSD responded with key baskets to squelch any threats by the host school. After an Osga jumper put the Tritons up 44-29, SF State scored seven straight points, courtesy of
Angela Van Sickel's 3-pointer and two straight Varney layups, to pull within 44-36 at the 13:28 mark.
Just over a minute later, however, Carlisle drained another triple, while Rachel Marty followed with a tip-in, igniting a 15-5 UCSD flurry. The Tritons eventually staked a commanding 59-41 lead after a layup by Erin Dautremont with 6:35 remaining, before SF State staged its final comeback attempt of the evening.
A layup and two foul shots by Shokoor keyed a 9-0 Gator spurt over the next 1:23. However, Carlisle was there to answer the bell once again, connecting on her fourth triple of the contest to restore UCSD's double-digit lead at 62-50 with 4:38 left, and the Gators never threatened again.
SF State returns to the hardwood on Friday, Feb. 3, when it travels to Turlock, Calif., to tackle Cal State Stanislaus, kicking off a four-game road swing. Opening tip is set for 5:30 p.m.
