SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The defense struggled on Sunday afternoon as the San Francisco State women's basketball team fell to host Cal State San Marcos 82-68 in the final game of 2017.
 
Jacqueline Moss started for the second-straight contest, scoring 16 points while adding seven rebounds. Amani Alexander set a new season high with 13 points in her first double-digit scoring performance of the year. SF State had four Gators in double-figures for the second time this season as Courtenay Brown and Tyiteyana Jefferson both added 13 points in the setback.
 
Moss gave the Gators (4-7/2-6 CCAA) their first lead of the day as she drained a three from the top of the key for a 5-4 advantage with just over six minutes to go in the first quarter. Brown added a layup a minute later, however the Cougars (2-8/2-4 CCAA) knotted the score at 7-all behind a Juliet Jones triple. Jones would hit another three to put San Marcos up 12-9, but Alexander tied things up once again with a three of her own off an assist from Brown to bring things to 12-12.
 
The Cougars' Stephanie Somers hit a three out of the break to give the hosts a 19-16 advantage in the second quarter. After a pair of Alexander three throws to make it a one-point game, Somers drained another from beyond the arc, giving San Marcos a 22-18 lead. The Cougars continued their strong quarter with another three-point basket to go up nine, and quickly went up double-digits before Erika Nilsen knocked down two from the charity stripe to end the run down 29-20 with seven minutes left in the half. Tyitenana Jefferson got her first points of the afternoon from the line, cutting the deficit to seven. Back-to-back jumpers from Jefferson and Moss narrowed the Cougar lead as the quarter came to a close, and Jefferson knocked down two from the free throw line in the closing seconds as the Gators headed to the locker room trailing 37-32.
 
Jhaina Stephens began the second half with a jumper as the Gators saw themselves only down three. The Cougars then put together a 7-0 run before Rachel Iozzia ended the bleeding with a bucket, bringing things to 44-36. Brown hit her first three of the afternoon at the six-minute mark as she moved to her right and banked it off the backboard which cut the Cougar lead to seven once again. San Marcos closed out the period with two Kaitlyn Reina free throwns to carry a 57-49 lead into the final quarter.
 
Brown hit another triple to begin the 4^th quarter, and Moss followed suit with 6:58 left in regulation which brought the score to 61-55. Jefferson hit another jumper to get into double-digits off a dish from Iozzia, however the Cougars continued to roll offensively while holding a consistent lead, knocking down shots en route to the 82-68 victory to wrap up 2017.
 
San Marcos shot 47 percent (15-of-32) in the first half and 45 percent (24-of-53) in the game, which is their second-highest mark all season and the highest shooting percentage allowed by the Gators all year. The 82 points scored and the 87 percent (27-of-31) clip from the free throw line are both season-bests for the Cougars.
 
Up Next
The Gators return home to take on Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at The Swamp. Live stats and video for the contest will be provided, and be sure to follow @sfstate_wbb for in-game updates.