SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team made history once again on Saturday afternoon as the Cougars defeated No. 23/18 UC San Diego, 75-57, for a share of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Regular-Season Championship. With two victories over the Tritons this season, CSUSM will enter the CCAA Tournament next week as the No. 1 seed.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Chloe Eackles – 15 points | 5-of-7 3FG | 5 rebounds | 2 assists
Dynnah Buckner – 13 points | 4 rebounds
Akayla Hackson – 12 points | 4 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 blocked shots
Stephanie Custodio – 10 points | 4-of-4 FT | 3 rebounds | 1 blocked shot
Kelsey Forrester – 10 points | 3 assists
Jon'Nae Vermillion – 9 points | 8 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Eackles' second 3-pointer of the game put CSUSM back on top at 8-6, taking away UCSD's second and final lead of the game.
• Emma Forel sunk a 3-pointer, only her second of the season, as time ran out in the first quarter to put CSUSM up 16-9.
• A drive down the baseline for a layup by Julia Macabuhay cut CSUSM's lead to 16-15 with 6:59 remaining in the second quarter.
• The Cougars ended the first half with a double-digit lead at 37-26 over the Tritons.
• CSUSM shot 42.9% (6-of-14) from behind the 3-point line while holding UCSD to just 12.5% (1-of-8) in the 20 minutes.
• UCSD cut its deficit to 46-43 on a trey by Sydney Brown with 4:42 remaining in the third quarter.
• A 12-6 CSUSM run to end the third quarter put the Cougars up 58-49.
• CSUSM's largest lead of the game came on a pull-up jumper by Custodio to make it 75-56 with 2:12 remaining in the game.  
• The Cougars shot 50% (7-of-14) from the field in the final quarter while their defense held the Tritons to just 13.3% (2-of-13).  

FAST BREAKS

• The Cougars (23-4) concluded their regular season with an 18-4 conference record, tying for first in the CCAA standings with UC San Diego (22-5).
• As CSUSM continues to win, the Cougars will keep setting a new record for most wins in a season.
• This is the school's first Regular-Season CCAA Championship. CSUSM women's golf brought home two CCAA Tournament titles in 2018 and 2019.
• CSUSM extended its win streak to a program-record nine games. 
• The Cougars' 11 3-pointers tied for the second most in a single game in program history. The single-game record of 12 was achieved against San Francisco on Jan. 21, 2019.
• CSUSM's 18-point win was the largest margin of victory against UCSD since Nov. 19, 2016 when Western Washington defeated the Tritons by 19 points (84-65) in the West Region Crossover Classic.
• Five Cougars scored in double-digits in the game.
• CSUSM ended the night with a 41.4 field-goal percentage (24-of-58) while UCSD turned in a 33.3% (21-of-63).
• Eackles sunk a career-best five 3-pointers as five different Cougars notched a trey in the game.
• CSUSM won the first and last quarters by outscoring UCSD by seven points (16-9, 17-8) while clinching the second quarter with a four-point margin (21-17). UCSD outscored CSUSM 23-21 in the third quarter. 
• The Cougars outrebounded the Tritons, 41-37, while collecting four blocked shots to UCSD's one. 
• CSUSM led for just over 36 minutes of the game while UCSD was only on top for 1:24, all in the first quarter.
• Prior to the game, senior Stephanie Custodio, Chloe Eackles and Jon'Nae Vermillion were recognized. 

 
 












 

Head Coach Renee Jimenez talks about the team's preseason goal of winning a CCAA Championship and how the Cougars achieved it. #BleedBlue #goCCAA #NCAAd2 pic.twitter.com/hp2jHnpXpG

— CSUSM Women's Basketball (@CSUSM_WBB) March 1, 2020

 

Seniors Jon'Nae Vermillion, Chloe Eackles and Stephanie Custodio talk about how it feels to bring home a CCAA Championship! #BleedBlue #goCCAA #NCAAd2 pic.twitter.com/03vGVI5QxJ

— CSUSM Women's Basketball (@CSUSM_WBB) March 1, 2020

UP NEXT
The Cougars will host the first round of the CCAA Tournament on Tuesday, March 2, taking on Sonoma State at 5:30 p.m. in The Sports Center.