SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In a balanced effort with five Cougars scoring seven or more points, the Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team recorded a 68-63 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) victory over Humboldt State on Saturday night at The Sports Center.
 
The Cougars shot a season-best 48.9 percent (23-of-47) from the field and 17-of-19 from the free throw line.
 
With the win, CSUSM improves to 3-5 in CCAA action (3-9 overall) while the Lumberjacks drop to 8-7, 7-3 in conference play.

Head Coach Renee Jimenez talks about her team's 68-63 victory! CSUSM takes on Cal State East Bay on January 11th #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/DpmZVaB6ok

— CSUSM Women's Hoops (@CSUSM_WBB) January 7, 2018

 
Senior Raegan Lillie tallied a game-high 14 points while junior Juliet Jones finished with 13 points. Senior Lupe Cruz notched 10 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Junior Baylee Olsen went 3-for-6 beyond the arc for nine points. Sophomore Chloe Eackles added seven points and eight rebounds.
 

Senior forward Lupe Cruz finished 4-of-5 from the field and 10 points as she talks about the team's offensive success tonight again Humboldt State #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/WYgGAPhqzB

— CSUSM Women's Hoops (@CSUSM_WBB) January 7, 2018

The Cougars held the Jacks to just a 28.6 percentage from the field in the first quarter, finishing with a 14-9 lead.
 
A Olsen 3-pointer gave CSUSM its largest lead of the game at 29-18 with 2:45 remaining in the first half.
 
CSUSM went 10-of-20 from the field in the first half to take a 31-26 lead into the halftime break.
 
The Cougars held on to the lead until the 7:08 mark of the fourth quarter when HSU's Mikaela Shannon drove to the basket to even the game at 50-50.
 
A 3-pointer by Jones, followed by a Reina steal would set up Eackles for a lay-up to give CSUSM back a five-point cushion (57-52) at the halfway mark of the fourth quarter.
 
HSU would not go quietly into the night as a CSUSM turnover resulted in a 3-pointer by Kindal Murie to cut the Cougars' lead to 62-61 at 1:02.
 
CSUSM answered with Jones dribbling three-fourths of the court for a lay-up to make it 64-61.
 
With 24 seconds on the clock, Murie stole the ball and dished it off to Tyla Turner for a game-tying 3-pointer that rolled in and out.
 
Lillie's two made free throws clinched the Cougar victory.  
 
Turner finished the night with a game-high 23 points for the Jacks.
 
The Cougars head to the Bay Area next week to take on Cal State East Bay on Friday, Jan. 11. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.