SAN FRANCISCO - A 102-point performance lifted the San Francisco State women's basketball team over the Academy of Art, 102-92 on Sunday. It was the most points scored by the Gators since 2005 when they dropped 103.
- The Gators (2-4/1-0 CCAA) had six players in triple digits, five of which had 14 points or more.
- SF State is just the second CCAA institution to score in triple digits this season after Humboldt State scored 109 against NCCAA institution Bethesda, and are the first to score over 100 against a NCAA opponent since Stanislaus State poured in 102 against Alaska Fairbanks in 2015.
- Isabella Lamonea dropped 19 points, which is the most by a Gator this season, and her five three points are the most since Courtenay Brown made six in December 2017.
- Amani Alexander dropped a season-best 17 points. Taisia Fleming followed with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Taimane Lesa-Hardee and Jhaina Stephens each added 14 points, and Stephens also had nine boards. Toni Edwards added 13 points and seven assists.
- SF State dropped 13 three-pointers, which are the most in the last ten years, and shot 54 percent (13-of-24) from deep, which is the highest three-point field goal mark since January 3, 2015 when they shot 55 percent (12-of-22).
- The Gators shot a season-high 45 percent (36-of-80) from the field, and dished out a season-best 20 assists, which are the most since the season opener last year.
Stephens got SF State on the board with a pair of technical free throws and a jumper at the top of the key. Lesa-Hardee added a three-pointer and Stephens notched two more from the line as the Gators now led 9-1. Edwards dropped in a three from the right side with 6:12 left in the first that pushed the lead to 14-3. With under five to go, Fleming passed to her left to Lamonea, who got her first points of the afternoon on a splash that extended the advantage to 20-6. The Urban Knights (1-2/0-0 Pac West) answered with back-to-back three pointers, but Alexander continue the three-point onslaught with under a minute left that made it a 25-17 lead. SF State shot 67 percent (foiur-of-six) in the first ten minutes.
Fleming made a corner triple, and Lamonea followed from the same spot to put the hosts up eight. The Urban Knights battled back with free throws by Briana Cates. With just over five left in the half, Fleming brought the ball to the right and drew the double team that freed up Madison Corder, who got the pass and hit the layup to make it a 38-29 lead. Corder added anther basket in the paint, this time on an assist from Edwards to widen the lead to nine. Lamonea continued her strong performance beyond the arc as she hit her third triple of the day to reach double-digit points with 1:44 left in the half. Josselyn Morris added a layup in the closing seconds to narrow the Gators lead to seven, and we went to the half up 50-43. Art shot 21 free throws in the first half, including 13 in the second quarter, compared to SF State's ten overall.
Art closed the gap with another free throw to open up the third, but Alexander responded from deep off a dish from Kaleigh Pugh that put the Purple and Gold back up by seven, 55-48. Edwards and Fleming knocked down consecutive jumpers and prompt a visitor timeout as the Gators now led by 11. At the midway mark, Lesa-Hardee made another Gator three off an assist from Fleming that extended the lead, and Lamonea hit her fourth triple of the day a couple minutes later that put SF State up by 13. The freshman followed with another jumper and Fleming added a bucket the next possession that made it a 77-62 lead.
The Urban Knights cut it to five on back-to-back threes from Chanel Stuart and Morris, but Lamonea continued her lights out shooting with yet another splash that put the Gators back up by six, 89-83. Morris gave the visitors another bucket from deep and Cates followed with a jumper that made it a one-point contest. The Urban Knights defense held SF State to just one basket in nine attempts as they cut it to one once again, 91-90. The Gators regained the offensive momentum with consecutive baskets by Edwards and Alexander that put SF State back up by five with two minutes remaining. Lesa-Hardee made a clutch three-pointer from the top of the arc with 1:32 to cushion the advantage, 98-92. Fleming's layup with 29 seconds left put SF State in triple digits, and Lesa-Hardee iced the game with a pair from the charity stripe, keeping SF State a perfect 10-for-10 from the line in that second half, for the win.
Courtside season tickets are still available for the 2018-19 season. A full season, which guarantees courtside seating for all twelve of San Francisco State's home conference basketball doubleheaders, is $250 per seat. For more information, visit
sfstategators.com/courtside.
The Golden Gators return to CCAA action this Thursday, November 29 when they take on Cal Poly Pomona at 5:30 p.m.
