SAN FRANCISCO—The Chico State men's basketball team is still in search of its game legs and shooting touch, having missed numerous games and practices in November. The Wildcats found neither Saturday afternoon in San Francisco.
 
Chico State missed 18 of its first 19 attempts from 3-point range and dropped a 65-49 decision at San Francisco State inside the Main Gym at Don Nasser Family Plaza.
 
The Wildcats fell to 0-2 on the season and in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. San Francisco State, which entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the CCAA in team defense, improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the CCAA.
 
Chico State will try to get into the win column Thursday when it hosts Stanislaus State in its 2018-19 home opener.
 
The Wildcats hung tough in Saturday's first half despite missing their first eight 3-point attempts and 20 of their first 25 shots overall. When Malik Duffy got a triple to drop 1:43 before intermission, they trailed only 22-20.
 
The deficit was five at the half, but the game quickly devolved for the Wildcats in the second stanza. San Francisco State hit its first four shots to build a double-digit lead, which grew as large as 22.
 
Josh Lavergne hit a pair of late 3-pointers, sandwiched around Duffy's second, but the Wildcats got no closer than 13.
 
Isaiah Brooks led the Wildcats with nine points. Lavergne finished with eight points and four rebounds. Justin Briggs contributed seven points and seven rebounds. Duffy matched his career-high with a team-high eight rebounds. Calvin Geraci, making his first start as a Wildcat, chipped in six points and six rebounds.