HAYWARD, Calif. – The No. 20/21 and fourth-seeded Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (22-4) saw its season come to an end as it fell 89-86 in overtime to No. 9/RV and fifth-seeded Azusa Pacific (25-3) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA West Regional at Cal State East Bay's Pioneer Gymnasium on Friday.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Akayla Hackson – 20 points | 5 rebounds | 2 assists
Kate Carlson – 18 points | 10 rebounds
Sydney Buckley – 15 points | 10 assists | 5 rebounds
Kelsey Forrester – 14 points | 3 steals | 2 rebounds
Dynnah Buckner – 11 points | 3 assists | 2 rebounds
Jordan Vasquez – 13 rebounds | 8 points
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After two good free throws by Carlson put CSUSM up 15-13 with 3:46 to go in the first quarter, APU ended the first 10 minutes with a 13-4 run and led 26-19.
• APU shot 61.1% (11-of-18) from the field in the first quarter while CSUSM ended the first 10 minutes shooting 46.7% (7-of-15).
• APU mounted its largest lead of the game in the second quarter at 37-21 on a three-pointer by Paige Uyehara with 6:21 left in the half.
• CSUSM ended the half on a 10-2 run and trailed APU, 41-33.
• Carlson led all CSUSM scorers with 10 points while Vasquez posted a game-high nine rebounds with six coming on offense.
• CSUSM shot 45.2% (14-of-31) in the first 20 minutes while APU came in at 48.6% (17-of-35).
• APU scored 12 points off CSUSM's seven first-half turnovers.
• CSUSM stormed back in the third quarter to take a 51-50 lead on a 3-pointer by Hackson with 4:11 to go.
• After 30 minutes, CSUSM had a 57-56 lead heading into the final quarter.
• CSUSM outscored APU 24-15 in the third period and scored 14 points off APU's seven turnovers while shooting 50% (10-of-20) from the field.
• CSUSM took its largest lead of the game with 7:16 to play in the game after Forrester nailed a three to make it 63-58.
• Up 76-73 after Carlson made 1-of-2 from the charity stripe with 13 seconds left, Uyehara took possession following a missed APU 3-pointer and nailed a buzzer beater from in front of APU's bench to send the game to overtime.
• Tied at 80 following a Hackson jumper in 2:27 to go in the extra period, APU went on a 8-2 run to take an 88-82 lead with 25 seconds remaining.
• CSUSM got the deficit down to 88-85 on a Hackson 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining, but it was as close as CSUSM came to APU's lead.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM ends the season at 22-4 (.846) – its best season in program history by winning percentage.
• CSUSM's 78 field-goal attempts were a season high.
• Buckley's career-high 10 assists were the most by a Cougar this season and were the most by a CSUSM player since Stephanie Custudio's 11 against San Francisco State on Feb. 21, 2019.
• CSUSM's shots were blocked eight times by APU – the most by a CSUSM opponent this season.
• Carlson's 18 points and 10 rebounds were both career highs.
• This was CSUSM's first overtime game since Jan. 9, 2020, against Humboldt State, and it was its first overtime loss since Jan. 19, 2019 to then No. 5/7 UC San Diego.