SEASIDE, Calif. — The San Francisco State women's basketball team fell to host Cal State Monterey Bay 74-55 on Saturday afternoon.
- Toni Edwards handed out three assists, and now sits tied for ninth all-time in Gator (9-14/8-10 CCAA) history for most assists in a season with 111.
- Jhaina Stephens scored 11 for her sixth-straight double-digits scoring performance and 40th of her career. Danielle Palmer led SF State for the second time this season with 12 points and was 6-of-8 from the field. Taimane Lesa-Hardee dropped ten for her tenth double-digit scoring game this year and had a career-high seven steals, the fourth-most by a Gator since 2011-12.
- Isabella Lamonea made one three-pointer and is two shy of breaking into the top ten in SF State history for most three's in a season.
- The Gators shot 50 percent from the free throw line and only got to the line six times in the first half compared to a 91 percent clip and 12 trips by the Otters (1-22/1-16 CCAA).
- Monterey Bay shot a season-high 43 percent (26-61) and were 85 percent (17-20) from the line.
Lamonea dropped in a three off a dish from Stephens and Lesa-Hardee added a steal-and-score to put the Gators up 6-0 early. The Otters quickly bounced back to take a one-point lead, which came on Brianna Tuckers layup with 5:13 left in the first. The run continued as the hosts pulled ahead 11-6 while the Gators struggled offensively, turning the ball over five time before Palmer ended the dry spell with a layup off a nice inside pass from Taisia Fleming. Trailing 14-8, Amani Alexander got her first points of the day as she drove through the lane for the layup and drew the and-one foul, capping off the play with a free throw to cut it to three. Palmer added another basket after battling two Otter defenders to grab the offensive board twice that narrowed the deficit late in the first.
Serena Toney began the second with a jumper that capped off a 9-2 run that put the Otters up double digits, 23-13. Lamonea got her own and-one and made the layup as she battled for the basket in the paint, and Stephens later added a jumper after Edwards got the steal and assists that made it a 26-21 game, but once again Monterey Bay bounced back to go back up by double digits, this time by 11 points, and prompt a Gator timeout with 6:25 left in the half. The 8-0 run continued with a pair of Otter free throws to go up 13, but Palmer responded with consecutive layups to end the scoreless streak. The forward dropped in another to cut it to nine and give her ten points, which came on Edwards' second helper for her 110th of the season, putting her tenth all-time in SF State history for assists in a season. Camille Parker hit a jumper with 29 seconds left to give Monterey Bay a 38-27 lead at the half.
Stephens' jumper began the second half and Palmer's sixth bucket of the day cut it to six. Meanwhile the Gator defense stepped up to hold the Otters to just one field goal in their last 13 attempts. Madison Corder worked her way to the line and converted both, bringing the score to 41-33 midway through the third. After three Otter free throws, Lesa-Hardee nailed a step-back three and Lamonea and Stephens each contributed baskets with just over a minute to go in the frame.
Alexander sunk her second triple of the afternoon to start the fourth and made it a nine-point deficit. Monterey Bay utilized a 6-0 run to take a 15-point advantage, before Stephens made a layup and drew the and-one where she made it count as the Gators battled back. The hosts pushed their lead to 16 following Parker's fifth basket to go up 64-48 with 5:47 remaining before Edwards made a jumper in the paint following a timeout and Lesa-Hardee followed with a transition layup. However Tucker's three to put the Otters up 69-52 and helped seal their first victory of the season.
SF State returns home this Thursday, February 21 against Cal State San Marcos for Purple Out, and the first 250 fans will receive a free replica jersey. Game time is 5:30 p.m., and live stats and a stream will be provided.
