FRESNO, Calif. – A strong performance from the charity stripe kept the game in reach Ultimately, a strong second half delivered host Fresno Pacific a 73-62 win over San Francisco State at the Fresno Pacific Events Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Gators (2-5) finished with two players in double figures.
Kaitlin DaDalt led SF State with a season-high 16 points, she also grabbed seven rebounds.
Donae Moguel scored 15 points, giving her back-to-back 15-point performances.
As a team, SF State shot 38.2 percent from the field, going 21-for-55 from the floor. From 3-point range, the Gators shot just 16.7 percent, going 2-for-12 from long range. At the free throw-line the Gators were near automatic. SF State connected on 18-of-22 from the charity stripe, helping keep the Gators in the game.
Fresno Pacific (1-4) earned their first win of the season on the strength of a scoring outburst from guard Bree Alvarez. Alvarez finished with a career-high 26 points, going 8-for-17 from the floor and 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
The Gators struck first when Moguel was fouled on a layup, she converted the 3-point play, and with 9:43 in the first quarter, SF State had their only lead of the game. In the second quarter SF State got hot. DaDalt scored seven points in a Gator run that cut the Sunbird's lead to just three points, 35-32 with 3:53 to play in the half.
From there, the Sunbirds went off, extending their lead to eight at the half, going into the intermission up 42-34. Out of the break, Fresno Pacific increased their lead to 17 following a 3-point bucket by Alvarez. FPU led by as much as 22 with 8:38 left in the game.
The Gators will return to action next Friday when they begin CCAA play, hosting Cal Poly Pomona at 5:30 p.m. Friday's contest will be the third annual Purple Out and will be televised regionally on Comcast Hometown Network.
GAME NOTES
Coaches Quote
"We are much better than we are playing right now," said head coach
Dennis Cox. "For whatever reason it's just taking longer for us to come together than we'd hoped. Fresno Pacific outworked us for 40 minutes."
Moguel's Hot Start
Senior center
Donae Moguel had a red-hot start for the Gators. She scored nine of the Gators first 10 points. She finished the night with 15 points, going 6-for-8 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
DaDalt Cleans The Glass
Kaitlin DaDalt led the Gators in rebounds for the third time this season when she grabbed seven boards. It marks the third-straight contest with seven or more rebounds for the junior. She now has 42 rebounds on the year which is second on the team.
Gators Get It Done From 15 Feet
The Gators were a combined 18-for-22 from free throw line tonight, for a stellar 81.8 percent. The 18 made free throws was a season-high, as was the 22 attempts. The 81.8 percent mark was also a season-high for the Gators. Five players were perfect from the free throw line, led by
Lauryn Catching who was a perfect 4-for-4.
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Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments. For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
