Box Score SAN FRANCISCO --- Playing against a nationally-ranked team is never an easy feat. Despite SF State grabbing as high as a 10-point lead over the National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. II No. 11-ranked Chico State, the Gators couldn't hold off the Wildcats and fell 54-53 Friday night.

"We played well enough to win, but we have to play 40 minutes throughout the game against top teams," said head coach Dr. Joaquin Wallace. "Our first 10 minutes into the second half was not good, which allowed Chico State to establish the tempo and hold us off for the win."

The loss drops the Gators to 9-10 overall and 6-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Chico State improved to 17-2 on the season, 13-2 in conference action. Nicole Hicks led the attack for SF State, finishing with 16 points after shooting 5-for-12 from the field and 100-percent from both the perimeter and the free throw line. Angela Van Sickel added another 13 points to the Gators' tally, including crucial three-point shots late in the game. 

For the Wildcats, Jazmine Miller matched Hicks' game-high 16 points off 5-for-10 shooting from within the arc. Hannah Womack followed with 14 points of her own, shooting at 50-percent from both the field and the perimeter.

SF State started strong in the first period of action, boasting a 40.6 shooting percentage and picked up the first two points of the contest. Desiree Collins found Lauren Varney in the paint to put the Gators up 2-0, but Chico State answered right back to tie the game just seconds later. The Gators maintained control of the game, however, forbidding the Wildcats to take possession of the lead. 

With 5:12 left before half, Chico State's Sam Messersmith scored a three-point basket to put the score at 19-18. SF State responded with a nine-point run, including back-to-back buckets from Hicks, to take the Gators' highest lead of the game at 10 points. The Wildcats scored two points to cut the lead to eight, but Hicks added another layup of her own to establish the 10-point lead once again.

The double-digit lead didn't hold out for the last 15 seconds of the half, however, as Synchro Bull finished a buzzer-beater jumper to send the teams into halftime with the Gators ahead 30-22.

Coming out of halftime with the momentum starting to build in their favor, the Wildcats caught fire and opened the half with an eight-point run to tie the game at 30-30, before adding another four unanswered points to take a 34-30 lead. 

Looking to break the five minute-plus scoreless streak, Farrah Shokoor cut the streak with a basket and 14:09 on the clock. Both teams continued to battle in the next three minutes, looking to put the game away. 

With Chico State leading 35-32, Van Sickel initiated a 4-1 run to tie the game at 36-36. Van Sickel first found an open look from inside the arc to put the Gators down by just one point. Although the Wildcats grabbed a free throw point, Varney's two-point jumper from Van Sickel tied the game with just under 11 minutes left in regulation.

SF State struggled to keep control of the Wildcats, allowing Chico State to take a 45-37 lead. Quick ball movement from the Gators led to Van Sickel's three-point shot to cut the Wildcats' lead down to five points, but SF State committed a foul to send a Wildcat to the line.

Trailing 47-45 coming down the stretch, Van Sickel once again found a good look from the perimeter to put the Gators back in the lead at 48-47. The lead didn't last long, however, as the Wildcats found another free shot at the line to tie the game once again. 

As both teams fought to grab momentum, Chico State took a 52-50 lead with 2:30 left in the game. The Wildcats instated high pressure defense and took a four-point lead off a fast break with just over a minute left to play.

Hicks sent a well-timed three-point shot through the hoop to put the game within reach, with the Gators down by one and 41 seconds left to play. SF State got another break in the next play as Miller stepped on the line to turn the ball over to the Gators with 20 seconds left. SF State couldn't find a good look at the basket, however, sending a shot just off target to end the game at 54-53 in favor of the Wildcats.

SF State hopes to bounce back from the heartbreaker tomorrow night as the Gators host Cal State Stanislaus--who lost 85-73 to Sonoma State--at 5:30 p.m. at The Swamp. The game will be dedicated to spreading breast cancer awareness and fans are encouraged to wear pink.