Box Score SAN FRANCISCO – Holding a two-point lead with less than a minute, a go-ahead 3-point bucket put Cal State East Bay ahead for good with 23 seconds remaining. San Francisco State battled all evening and played tremendous defense but could not get that crucial bucket, falling 51-48.
SF State (2-7/0-2 CCAA) played tremendous defense, holding the Pioneers (5-3/2-0 CCAA) to just 51 points, 15 points below their season average. The Gators limited the Pioneers to 18 points in the first half, going into the locker room up 24-18.
In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers outscored the Gators 19-12. With 2:07 in the game,
Erika Nilsen drained a 3-point basket from the top of the arc, giving SFSU a 48-46 lead. With 23 seconds remaining, CSUEB's Shomari Harris launched a contested three from the corner, giving the Pioneers a 49-48 lead. Harris finished with a game-high 20 points on the evening.
SF State shot 35.2 percent on the night, going 19-for-54, from 3-point range they were very efficient going 6-for-17, they were 2-for-6 in the second half. Three players finished in double-figures.
Kaitlin DaDalt led the Gators with 13 points.
Donae Moguel and
Kayla Watterson both chipped in 10 points on the night. Moguel also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. The 10-points by Watterson is a new career-high.
Guard
Felicia Villarruel scored a season-high nine points, providing a huge spark off the bench for the Gators on the evening. SF State's bench accounted for 19 points on the evening.
SF State returns to action next Friday when they travel to Kentfield, Calif., to the campus of the College of Marin to battle rival Sonoma State. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES
Coaches Quote
"That was a tough one," said head coach
Dennis Cox. "When you have a game with a minute to go and you need so desperately to score to make it a two possession game, we've just got to learn from that. We've got to execute a little bit better. When you hold someone to 51 points, you should win that game. We did everything defensively that we had to do to win that game. It still comes down to being a little better on offensive execution, and that's where we have to improve."
Watterson's Big Night
Sophomore forward
Kayla Watterson had a huge night off the bench for the Gators. She finished with a career-high 10 points, going 5-for-6 from the field. All 10 of her points came after the intermission in a huge second half effort.
Villarruel Heating Up
Senior guard
Felicia Villarruel scored a season-high nine points, going 3-for-7 from 3-point range. She also had three rebounds and three assists, all season-highs.
Second Chances
The Gators grabbed 11 offensive rebounds on the night, those 11 offensive boards, led to 10 second chance points.
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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.
