Box Score SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The NR/No. 19 Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team dropped a 78-73 decision to NR/RV Western Washington in its final nonconference game in the finale of the CSUSM Hoops Classic on Saturday afternoon in The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Akayla Hackson – 19 FG points | 6-of-13 | 3 assists | 3 rebounds
Jordan Vasquez – 15 points | 8 rebounds | 5-of-8 FG
Kelsey Forrester – 14 points | 4-of-6 3PG | 3 assists | 2 steals
Dynnah Buckner – 16 points | 9-of-10 FT | 7 rebounds

CSUSM HOOPS CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Emma Duff - WWU
Kelsey Forrester - CSUSM
Akayla Hackson - CSUSM
Kelly Heimburger - APU
Natalie Hoff - SPU
Dani Iwami - WWU
Alex Lowden - APU
Brooke Walling - WWU
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars got off to a slow start, finding themselves trailing 6-2 in the opening three minutes.
• A layup by Vasquez and a Hackson 3-pointer put CSUSM up 7-6.
• The Vikings closed out the first quarter with a 5-0 run to take a 20-14 lead.
• WWU's largest lead in the first half came at the 5:06 mark of the second quarter when Dani Iwami sunk a 3-pointer to make it 29-16.
• CSUSM came charging back with a 17-11 run to make it 37-33 at the half.
• A pair of free throws by Buckner evened the game at 56-all but WWU quickly retook the lead with a 3-pointer by Walling.
• WWU took a 61-58 lead into the final quarter.
• A Forrester 3-pointer cut the WWU lead to 74-73 with 1:42 remaining in the game.
• The Vikings quickly responded with a layup to make it 76-73.
• After two CSUSM fouls, WWU's Iwami made the back end of her two trips to the free throw line to clinch the Viking win at 78-73.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM drops to 2-1 while WWU moves up to 3-0 on the season.
• The Cougars got 26 of their 73 points at the charity stripe while WWU only went 15 times for 10 points.
• WWU collected 44 points in the paint to CSUSM's 26.
• The Cougars tallied 16 points off fast breaks to the Vikings' three.
• For the game, WWU shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) to CSUSM's 39.2% (20-of-51).
• CSUSM outscored the Vikings in the second (19-17) and third (17-15) quarters, but the first quarter deficit (14-20) was just to much to overcome.
• Four Cougars reached double digits in scoring for the first time this season. 

UP NEXT
CSUSM opens its CCAA schedule on Saturday, Nov. 27 when the Cougars welcome Cal State LA to the Sports Center. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.