SAN FRANCISCO—For the first 25 minutes of Thursday night's game against San Francisco State, the Chico State women's basketball team saw little success against the host Gators. The Wildcats trailed by nine at halftime and were down 43-31 midway through the third quarter, but thanks to 59 percent shooting and holding the Gators to just five points over the final 15 minutes of action, Chico State was able to pull away in the fourth quarter and nail down a 58-48 victory at The Swamp in San Francisco.
With Thursday's victory, Chico State—winners of six of its last seven contests—improved to 10-5 on the season and 6-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). San Francisco State fell to 1-11 overall and 1-8 in conference play.
Shay Stark led the way for the Wildcats, scoring 14 of her team-high 16 points in the second half while pulling down six rebounds. Myli Martinez hit two of Chico State's three 3-pointers on the night to finish with 10 points, with Mikaila Wegenke posting a productive stat line with nine points, four rebounds, and three steals. Haley Ison and Hannah Washington each contributed six points and six rebounds for the victorious 'Cats.
San Francisco State scored four of the game's first five points, but an Ison layup and a 3-pointer by Martinez put Chico State on top 6-4. The lead was brief, however, as the Gators ripped off a 16-4 run to roar out in front 20-10. Wegenke converted a three-point play for the 'Cats to stop the bleeding, but San Francisco State still held a comfortable 21-13 advantage at the end of the opening quarter.
The Gators extended their lead to 13 early in the second period, but a 7-0 Wildcats run—highlighted by a Maddy Wong 3-pointer and layups by Washington and Daisha Abdelkader—cut the Chico State deficit to six points at 26-20. San Francisco State responded with six unanswered points to go back up by double digits, and though the 'Cats shut out the Gators over the final four-and-a-half minutes of the quarter, a Martinez 3-pointer was all the scoring Chico State could muster during the stretch, as San Francisco State went into halftime with a 32-23 lead.
Chico State was unable to whittle down the deficit in the opening minutes of the third quarter; in fact, the Wildcats lost some ground, as San Francisco State built its lead to 43-31. The Wildcat defense proceeded to once again clamp down, not allowing a point for the rest of the period, and this time climbed back into the contest with a 10-0 run—three buckets by Stark were bookended with layups by Wegenke and Brynn Thoming—and the quarter ended with the Gators clinging to a slim 43-41 lead.\
The Wildcats continued their run and took the lead in the fourth quarter, scoring the first nine points of the period—Stark dropped in a pair of baskets, and Martinez contributed a three-point play—to put Chico State up 50-43. San Francisco State answered with a three-point play to creep to within four with 5:14 to play, but the 'Cats, on the strength of two baskets by both Stark and Ison, outscored the Gators 8-2 the rest of the way to officially put a bow on the hard-fought 58-48 victory.
Chico State is back in action next Saturday, January 18, when they host UC Santa Cruz in an afternoon non-conference contest at Acker Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
