TURLOCK, Calif. – For the second consecutive game, the No. 19/NR Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (4-1, 1-0 CCAA) held off a late rally to collect a victory as the Cougars opened CCAA play with a 70-59 win against Stanislaus State (3-4, 0-2 CCAA) on Thursday night at Fitzpatrick Arena.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Kelsey Forrester – 16 points | 4-of-8 3FG | 4-of-4 FT | 3 assists
Mina Tameilau – 12 points | 5-of-10 FG | 8 rebounds | 1 blocked shot
Charity Gallegos – 11 points | 4-of-4 FT | 3 assists
Dynnah Buckner – 8 points | 11 rebounds
Jordan Vasquez – 7 points | 10 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Tameilau carried the Cougars early, scoring the first four points for CSUSM before Forrester sunk a 3-pointer from the corner to spark a 12-0 run to take a 16-4 lead with three minutes remaining in the first quarter.
• CSUSM closed out the opening quarter with a 21-8 lead after shooting 66.7% (6-of-9) from the field and going 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
• After a slow start in the second quarter, CSUSM finished with a 14-2 run to take a 39-17 lead into the halftime break. Despite going 2-of-11 from the 3-point line, the Cougars were able to outscore the Warriors 18-9.
• Forrester led all scorers in the first half, knocking down three 3-pointers and going 2-for-2 at the charity stripe while Tameilau contributed 10 points.
• The Warriors outscored CSUSM 25-16 in the third quarter to cut the Cougars' lead to 13 points (55-42). The deciding stats were offensive boards with Stan State leading 6-1 while CSUSM committed seven turnovers to the Warriors' zero.
• Stan State made it a single-digit game at 55-49 on a Makayla Rose 3-pointer at the 7:46 mark of the fourth quarter.
• The closest the Warriors got was on a 3-pointer by Alexis Woodson to make it 57-52 with 6:49 remaining in the game.
• In the final minute of play, CSUSM went 8-of-8 at the free throw line to hold off the charging Warriors.
   

FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM extended its conference win streak to 18 games, which began on Dec. 9, 2021 with a 76-70 victory at Cal State Monterey Bay.
• The Cougars shot 76.7% (23-of-30) from the free throw line while the Warriors turned in a 50.0 free-throw percentage (11-of-22).
• CSUSM concluded the game shooting 42.6% (20-of-47) from the field while Stan State finished at 33.3% (22-of-66).
• The Cougars won the battle of the boards 42-37, but the Warriors had the advantage on the offensive side at 20-14.
• CSUSM's 20 turnovers were a season high while Stan State only tallied 10 in the game.
• Twelve of Forrester's team-leading 16 points came from behind the 3-point line while the other four came at the charity stripe.
• Forrester has led CSUSM in scoring in three of its five games this season.
• This was only CSUSM's second win over the Warriors on the road and are now 5-6 in the all-time series against Stan State.

 
UP NEXT
The Cougars will wrap up their five-game road trip on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Chico State at 1 p.m.