SAN FRANCISCO – The Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (6-2, 4-1 CCAA) ended 2021 with a convincing 83-66 victory at San Francisco State (4-5, 2-3 CCAA) on Saturday afternoon.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Akayla Hackson – 21 points | 11-of-12 FT | 7 rebounds | 3 assists
Dynnah Buckner – 20 points | 7-of-13 FG | 7 rebounds | 6-of-6 FT | 3 steals
Jordan Vasquez – 21 points | 9 rebounds | 8-of-11 FG | 5-of-6 FT
Kelsey Forrester – 9 points | 5 assists
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After taking a 4-3 lead on a Vasquez layup at 7:58, neither team scored until SF State's Taimane Lesa-Hardee sunk a fade-away jumper with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter.
• Forrester and Dynnah Buckner each completed old-fashion 3-point plays to put CSUSM up 12-5.   
• The Cougars held a 16-10 lead after the first quarter after going 8-of-8 at the charity stripe with Dynnah Buckner contributing five.
• CSUSM took its largest lead of the second quarter at 6:45 on a Dynnah Buckner jumper to make it 22-12.
• The Gators closed out the first half with six unanswered points to cut CSUSM's lead to 33-31 at the break.
• CSUSM went 12-of-12 at the free throw line in the first half.
• The Cougars put together an 11-0 run capped by Kate Carlson to put CSUSM up 46-33 with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter.
• After SF State's Mya Blake connected on a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 53-46, Hackson answered with a 3-pointer from the top of the circle with 44 seconds remaining.
• Dynnah Buckner drove down the lane for a layup to give CSUSM a 58-46 lead entering the final quarter.
• The Cougars shot an impressive 64.3% (9-of-14) from the field in the third quarter while holding the Gators to 38.5% (5-of-13).
• CSUSM's biggest lead of the game came after Hackson made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer with 5:27 on the clock in the fourth quarter.
• Hackson went 9-of-9 at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.

 
FAST BREAKS

• The Cougars continued to dominate in the paint with 40 of their 83 points coming from under the basket.
• CSUSM tallied 22 points off SF State turnovers.
• After shooting just 30.3% (10-of-33) for the field in the first half, CSUSM came out of the break with a 59.3% (16-of-27) second-half performance.
• CSUSM led for all but 1:40 of the game.
• The Cougars' 93.1% at the charity stripe is the second best in program history and their best with more than 15 trips to the free throw line.
• CSUSM is now 7-2 in the all-time series against the Gators and 4-1 when playing at SF State.
• The Cougars extended their win streak against the Gators to four with the win.
• CSUSM outscored the Gators 50-35 in the second half.
• The Cougars won the battle of the boards, 37-33.
• Vasquez narrowly missed out on recording her fourth double-double, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds. 
• Dynnah Buckner matched her career high of 20 points for the second time this season and third time in her career. 

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will take a three-week holiday break before returning on Sunday, Jan. 2 when the Cougars travel to Cal State LA for a 1 p.m. game.