LA JOLLA, Calif.--- The SF State Gators clinched the eighth and final spot in the CCAA Basketball Championship Tournament by defeating the UC San Diego Tritons (19-10, 17-5 CCAA) 53-50 this evening at RIMAC Arena. This was the Gators' first win against the Tritons in 20 games. Farrah Shokoor paced SF State with 18 points while Lauren Varney chipped in 13 points.

"Tonight, we finally played with the potential that we have been inconsistent with all season long," said SF State head coach Dr. Joaquin Wallace. "It is a great feeling to clinch on the road against the number one team in the CCAA and a regionally ranked opponent."
 
Daisy Feder led the Tritons with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Emily Osga chipped in 17 points and also had four steals.
 
UC San Diego built a 14-9 lead in the first eight minutes of the game. 
 
SF State (12-14, 9-13 CCAA) outscored its hosts 6-1 in the next six minutes to tie the game at 15-15. 
 
Osga's jumper capped a 13-6 run by the Tritons to give them a 28-21 lead with 2:37 left in the first stanza. 
 
The Gators cut the lead to 28-25 on Jennifer Le's jumper, but UC San Diego finished the half outscoring SF State 3-0 to take a 31-25 lead into the locker room.
 
The Tritons held on to that lead for the first part of the second half including with 7:41 left in regulation, 48-41. 
 
SF State then held the Tritons scoreless in the next five minutes to go on a 11-0 run capped by three consecutive baskets by Shokoor. 
 
Feder's jumper cut the Gator lead to 52-50 with just 50 ticks on the clock, but the Gator defense held their ground as SF State hung on to a 53-50 victory.
 
The Gators forced 12 turnovers and held UC San Diego to just 34% shooting from the field including 15% from three-point range.  They were also 12-for-17 from the charity stripe with Shokoor going 4-for-5 and Jennifer Le and Varney each going 3-for-4.

SF State will travel to Chico, Calif., this Tuesday, March 5 for a First Round match-up with #15 Chico State at a time to be announced. The Wildcats won the CCAA regular season with a 84-75 win in overttime this evening at Cal St. Monterey Bay. 


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