HAYWARD, Calif. – The NR/RV Cal State San Marcos women's basketball shot a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference season-best 60.9% from the field on Saturday afternoon to extend the Cougars' win streak to eight games by collecting an 85-69 victory over Cal State East Bay.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Akayla Hackson – 31 points | 10-of-16 FG | 9-of-9 FT | 2 steals
Jon'Nae Vermillion – 15 points | 7-of-10 FG | 4 rebounds
Stephanie Custodio – 11 points | 3-of-4 FG | 4 assists
Emma Forel – 8 points | 5 rebounds | 2 steals
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM started the game with Hackson sinking three free throws after being fouled on a shot from beyond the arc.
• The Cougars ended the first quarter with a 17-13 lead over the Pioneers.
• The Pioneers took their only lead of the game on a layup by Mogran Greene to make it 20-19 at 6:42 in the second quarter.
• CSUSM responded with an 18-11 run to close out the second quarter and took a 37-31 lead into the halftime break.
• The Cougars shot 60.0% (12-of-20) from the field while holding the Pioneers to 40.6% (13-of-32).
• CSUSM went to the charity stripe 13 times in the opening 20 minutes, making 11 baskets, while the Pioneers only went to the free throw line three times.
• The Cougars continued to dominate, recording a 20-point cushion with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter on a Hackson layup.
• CSUSM entered the final quarter with a 59-46 lead over CSUEB.
• Hackson scored 15 of her career-high 31 points in the fourth quarter. Going 4-fo-6 from the field, she also made one 3-pointer and all six of her free throws.
• The Cougars reached the 20-point margin once again in the fourth quarter at 85-65, but back-to-back layups by CSUEB's Blaysen Varndaoe at the end of the game made it 85-69.

 
FAST BREAKS

• The Cougars (22-4) remain one game back of leader UC San Diego in the CCAA standings.
• The CCAA regular-season title will come down to next Saturday's game against the Tritons as a win by CSUSM will even each team's conference record to 18-4. The Cougars hold the tiebreaker to determine the No. 1 seed in the CCAA Tournament as CSUSM defeated UCSD, 69-63, on Nov. 21 at RIMAC Arena.
• CSUSM raised its win total to a program-best 22 victories.
• The Cougars have won three of their last four meeting against the Pioneers but trail in the all-time series at 4-6.
• CSUSM led the game for 38:53 while trailing for only twelve seconds.
• The Cougars matched their highest free-throw percentage (89.3%) of the season when going to the line more than 20 times (25-of-28). The first occurrence happened at UCSD.
• CSUSM's 85 points were a season-best as the previous high of 81 was reached against Humboldt State and San Francisco State.
• The Cougars have shot 50% or better in nine games this season.
• CSUSM recorded a season-low 19 rebounds to CSUEB's 25.

 
THOUGHTS FROM CSUSM HEAD COACH RENEE JIMENEZ
"This was a really important game for our kids, and everyone came out and did their job the absolute best they could. We had a goal at the start of the season that we wanted to win the CCAA, and we have put ourselves in a position to do that next Saturday. I am so proud of this group and the resiliency they have shown in these last eight games. They earned this opportunity to go win it."
 
UP NEXT
The Cougars conclude the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 29 against UC San Diego at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, there will be a short Senior Day presentation honoring CSUSM's three seniors – Stephanie Custodio, Chloe Eackles and Jon'Nae Vermillion.