CHICO –   Robert Duncan's jumper with less than four seconds left in the third overtime gave the Chico State Wildcats a 61-59 victory over the visiting SF State Gators in a marathon affair at Chico's Acker Gym.  Duncan finished led the way for Chico State with 13 points.  Senior Udun Osakue had a game high 23 points while Bren Haley chipped in 12 points for the visitors.

"It was very unfortunate that we came up on the wrong end of the scoreboard, but I am proud of our guys as we battled this evening," said SF State head coach Paul Trevor.  "We made adjustments at the half and our defense kept us in the game."

Chico State (9-5, 6-3 CCAA) took a 22-12 lead into the locker room at the half. The Wildcats held SF State to just 13.6% shooting from the field and held the Gators without a trey. 

SF State came out battling in the second half as the visitors cut the Wildcat lead to 28-21 in the first five minutes of the new stanza on an AJ Kahlon lay-up off of one of Bren Haley's four assists. 

Chico State followed that with a 7-1 run capped by Corey Silverstrom's two made free throws to increase its lead back to double digits (35-22) with 12 minutes on the clock.

SF State would not go away as the Gator cut the deficit to 43-41 on an Osakue three with four minutes to go in regulation.

Three made free throws on the Wildcats' next two possessions increased their lead to 46-41 with just 2:15 to go, but the Gators' Kahlon lay-up cut that lead to 46-43 with 87 ticks on the clock.

Then SF State's defense forced a Wildcat turnover but the Gators could not convert. 

The visitors' Justice Howard rebound a missed trey by Chico State with 19 seconds left to give the Gators one more chance.  With three second left, Osakue made the Wildcats pay and hit three to send the game into overtime.

Chico State took a 51-48 lead in the first extra five minutes, but the Gators' Haley cut the lead to 51-50 with 33 seconds left in overtime period number one.  SF State fouled the Wildcats and they just made one of two free throws to take a 52-50 lead with 17 ticks.  That is when Derrick Brown sent the game into a second overtime as he connected on lay-up to tie the game at 52-52.

SF State held a 54-53 lead in the second overtime on a jumper by Osakue.  SF State's defense held the Wildcats without a field goal in the next two minutes, but the hosts' Silverstrom made lay-up gave Chico State back the lead at 55-54.

It looked like the Wildcats were going to win in the second overtime when Duncan made a lay-up with 39 seconds off his fifth steal of the game.  SF State still would not go away as Osakue came through again with a trey to send the game into Chico State's third consecutive overtime game.

Neither team would not take the lead in the third overtime until Isaiah Ellis connected on two made throws at the 1:49 mark to give Chico State a 59-57 lead.  Osakue tied the game again at 59-59 with another lay-up at 1:29 on the clock. 

Chico State had two chances to take the lead but both attempts fell short until the Gators' Floyd Wormley grabbed a rebound for the visitors.

SF State (6-7, 4-5 CCAA) had a chance for the win, but its trey bounced in and out of the bucket with 22 ticks on the clock to set up Chico State for the final shot.
That is when Duncan connected on a jumper in the paint with less than four seconds to give the Wildcats a 61-59 lead.  SF State's shot at the end when the buzzer sounded fell short.

Osakue recorded his first double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds.  He was 8-for-16 from the field including 3-or-4 from three's and a perfect four-for-four from the line.  In his final return to his hometown, Haley had four assists to go with his 12 points for the Gators. 

SF State, who is ninth in the nation and second in the CCAA in scoring defense, held the Wildcats to just 61 points including 39 points in the final 35 minutes.  The Gators out-rebounded Chico State 45-44 and forced 17 turnovers.

"It doesn't get any easier for us as now we have to drive to Turlock tomorrow for another conference road game, this time with Cal State Stanislaus," added Trevor. 

With the win, Chico State is now in a tie for third place with UC San Diego one game out of first place.  SF State falls into a four-way tie for seventh place with Humboldt State, Cal State L.A. and Cal State Monterey Bay.

The Gators will now travel south on Route 99 to Turlock, Calif., tomorrow evening for a 7:30pm scheduled tip-off with Cal State Stanislaus.  The Warriors defeated Sonoma State 73-70 this evening to remain tied for first place with Cal Poly Pomona.

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