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CHICO--- The SF State Gators held the seventh ranked Seattle Pacific Falcons to just 37% shooting from the field and forced 18 turnovers to key their 60-55 non-conference victory in the first game of the Carl's Jr. Mac Martin Invitational in Chico, Calif., this evening at Chico State's Acker Gymnasium.
 
“We defended and rebounded as a team tonight,” said SF State head coach Paul Trevor.  “We are showing signs as coming together as a team and if we can continue to do that, we will be successful.”
 
James Albright had a season high 14 points for the Gators (1-2) in just 22 minutes of action.  Robbie Herndon and Decensae White each chipped in 13 points for SF State, who also just turned the ball over 10 times.  White also had 10 rebounds for the Gators for his first double-double in the purple and gold.
 
With the win, the Gators snapped Seattle Pacific's four-game winning streak as the Falcons fell to 4-1 on the season.  Jobi Wall paced SPU with a game high 20 points and Andy Poling added 13 points. 
 
Wall's three in the first four minutes of the game gave the Falcons a 10-7 lead, the last time they held the lead in the game.  After that SF State outscored its opponents 10-3 in the next five minutes of the game to take a 20-13 lead. 
 
SPU cut the Gator margin to 23-21 on a Wall jumper with 6:28 left in the half, but the Gators went on a 9-0 run capped by a Will Overton lay-up to take a 32-21 lead (their largest lead of the game).
 
The Falcons scored the last six points of the half as they cut the deficit to 32-26 on a Wall three going into the locker room.
 
Each team came out cold in the second half, but Robbie Herndon's lay-up off an assist from Calvin Otiono gave the Gators a 34-26 lead two minutes into the new stanza.
 
SF State increased its lead to 46-36 as the Gators went on a 12-0 run capped by an Andre Jones' three with 9:39 to go in the game. 
 
Three consecutive three-pointers by Wall cut the Gator lead to 50-48 with a little over five minutes left on the clock.
 
On the Gators' next possession, James Albright connected on an old-fashioned three-point play to increase SF State's lead to 53-38,
 
“James (Albright) competed at a high level this evening,” added Trevor.  “Also, Andre (Jones) gave us energy off the bench as he is a tireless worker.”
 
The Falcons would not go away as once again they hit a three; this coming three came from David Down once again to cut the Gator lead to 53-51,
 
SF State came right back though with a three of its own, this time coming from Herndon off an assist from Jones to put the lead back to five (56-51). 
 
Andy Poling was fouled by the Gators, but he only made one of his two attempts with 2:15 left in regulation.  Herndon came through again as he made a lay-up to increase SF State's lead to 58-52 off an assist from White with 32 seconds left.
 
Ryan Todd hit another three for SPU with 22 seconds on the clock cut the deficit to 58-55, but Will Overton, Jr., was fouled and connected on both free throws to seal the 60-55 win for the Gators. 
 
“I am really happy for the team tonight as they did the little things to get the win,” noted Trevor.
 
SF State will return to the court tomorrow evening at 5:30pm, when the Gators face UC-Colorado Springs in Day Two of the Carl's Jr. Mac Martin Invitational at Chico State's Acker Gymnasium in Chico, Calif.  The Mountain Lions lost  to No. 16 Chico State, 68-44, in the second game this evening.

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