SAN FRANCISCO – You look at Thursday’s stat sheet, and it might be a bit confusing as to which team played a better game. The Chico State women’s basketball team was outshot by San Francisco State and outrebounded by the Gators 41-30, but in the much more important points column, it was the Wildcats who had the edge. A 14-4 second half run and suffocating defense down the stretch sparked the ’Cats to a come-from-behind 59-54 victory at The Swamp on the San Francisco State campus.
With Thursday’s win, Chico State improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). San Francisco State, still looking for its first victory of the season, fell to 0-6 and 0-2 in conference play.
Synchro Bull led the Wildcats with 15 points on the night to go along with a career-high six steals. Natasha Smith knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 10; Courtney Hamilton contributed eight points and five assists, and Courtney Harrison drained a pair of 3-pointers en route to an eight point evening. Ymonne Davidson-Mays paced the ’Cats on the boards, pulling down seven rebounds. Michaela Booker led three San Francisco State players scoring in double figures with 15 points.
San Francisco State led for most of the first half, jumping out to an 11-6 lead. A Harrison jumper and a 3-pointer by Smith pulled the Wildcats to within 13-11, but the Gators responded with six unanswered points to extend their lead to 19-11. Back-to-back treys by Smith and Samantha Messersmith again cut the deficit to two, but San Francisco State held on to the lead until a Messersmith jumper and a tip-in bucket by Crystal Sewell tied the contest at 23-all. With the game was still even at 26 apiece, the Gators defense held Chico State scoreless for the final 3:15 of the period, with baskets by Sherika Miller and Candyce Matthews giving San Francisco State a 30-26 halftime lead.
The Gators were up by five, 46-41, when Chico State finally began to mesh at both the offensive and defensive ends. While the Wildcats held San Francisco State to just eight points over the final 13 minutes, the ’Cats went on a 14-4 run – McKenzie Dalthorp’s layup with 5:26 to play gave Chico State its first lead of the night at 51-50. Another bucket by Dalthorp and a Bull layup pushed the score to 55-50, but a layup and two free throws by Lauren Varney brought the Gators to within 55-54 with 3:10 remaining. The Wildcats’ defense saw to it that San Francisco State didn’t score again, and a 3-pointer by Smith with 2:12 to go made it 58-54. Bull added a little insurance with a late free throw, and Chico State came away with the 59-54 victory.
BOX SCORE
Chico State is back in action Saturday, traveling to southern California to face the defending CCAA and NCAA West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona Broncos. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
