SAN FRANCISCO – Playing their fourth game in seven days the SF State women's basketball team had every right to be tired, that didn't stop the Gators from putting in a relentless defensive effort however, and 45 minutes later the Gators had a hard fought overtime victory over visiting Cal State San Marcos, 50-48. 

SF State (8-15/6-11 CCAA) had several tremendous offensive and defensive performances on the evening, highlighting the gritty team effort was the play of senior forward Naila Washington who recorded a career-high 18 points, 14 coming after the intermission. She finished the night 8-for-16 from the floor awhile grabbing eight boards and recording two blocks.

Tatsiana Dashkevich joined Washington in double-figures, she scored 13 on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor.  Kiara Ginwright fell one blocked shy of tying her career-high.  She tallied eight on the night, while also grabbing eight crucial rebounds and scoring eight.  Laura Lawson finished with six points, while grabbing 13 rebounds.

Cal State San Marcos (5-15/4-12 CCAA) has two players finish in double figures and was led by former Gators Savannah Camp, who scored 17, 15 coming before the intermission.  Joining her in double figures was Ashley Ontiveros who scored 12 points.

In the opening quarter the Gators dominated the game in every way except for the score.  SF State held the Cougars to 1-for-7 from the field to begin the game, with five turnovers that SF State turned into six points.  During that stretch the Gators recorded five blocks as a team, three by Ginwright.

Unfortunately for the Gators, the two shots the Cougars did hit were open 3-point bucks that kept them in the game.  Offensively, SF State could not find their touch from beyond the arc in the opening period, going 0-for-7. 

The Cougars managed to tie the game up in the first quarter on two made free throws and a layup by Camp with time expiring, allowing CSUSM to tie the Gators going into the second quarter 10-10.  From the close of the first quarter to the opening minutes of the second period the Cougars rode a 9-0 run to take a 19-14 lead with 4:50 left in the half.

Brittaney Allison ended the Gators lengthy scoring drought hitting a jumper from the top of the key off a screen from Ginwright in the second quarter.  From there Dashkevich hit another jumper in the paint, her sixth point of the quarter, to cut the Cougar lead to one, 19-18.  However, an 8-0 run by the Cougars, led by a Camp three, put CSUSM back out front 27-20 at the intermission.

Defensively, the Gators held the Cougars in check, keeping CSUSM to a 31.0 field goal percentage, going 9-for-29.  The difference was Camp's 15 first half points. 

In the third quarter both teams struggled to find the scoring touch.  The Gators were quiet for most of the period until Dashkevich found her touch from beyond the arc, hitting SF State's first 3-point bucket of the game.  That propelled the Gators on a 7-2 run over the final five minutes to cut the Cougars lead.

In the fourth quarter the Gators offense found their rhythm, hitting shots from inside the paint.  The run in the fourth quarter culminated when Felicia Villarruel hit her only bucket of the night, a 3-point field goal from the corner to give SF State a brief 42-41 lead.

Cal State San Marcos then went on a 5-0 run to take a 46-42 lead with 3:21 left in the game.  From there the Gators defense took over, holding the Cougars scoreless for the remainder of regulation.  Washington sent the game into overtime hitting a runner in the key with 25.8 seconds left in the game.

In overtime the Gators offense got just two field goals, layups up from Washington and Lawson, but that was all they would need as the Gators defense held CSUSM to 1-of-8 shooting in overtime.

With the win the Gators have won three in a row for the first time since the 2013-14 season.  SF State returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 14 when they host UC Santa Cruz in a non-conference contest.  

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Post Game Video
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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.

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