ARCATA, Calif. – The top-seeded and No. 19/11 Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (22-3) came up just short against second-seeded and No. 24/22 Cal State East Bay (22-2), falling 80-66 in the championship game of the 2021-22 CCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday night at Lumberjack Arena.

CCAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Zhane Duckett (CSUEB) - Tournament MVP 
Lily Buggs (CSULA)
Charity Gallegos (Chico)
Akayla Hackson (CSUSM)
Delia Moore (CSUEB) 
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Akayla Hackson – 19 points | 4 rebounds | 2 steals
Jordan Vasquez – 7 points | 11 rebounds | 2 assists
Dynnah Buckner – 13 points | 2 steals
Sydney Buckley – 9 points | 2 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• East Bay got out to an early 6-1 lead in the first two and half minutes of the game.
• CSUSM didn't get its first field goal until the 5:55 mark when Dynnah Buckner drove to the basket for a layup to make it 6-3 Pioneers.
• A 3-pionter by Katie FitzGerald with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter made it 8-6 CSUEB.
• The Cougars closed out the first quarter with the final two field goals and trailed 18-15 to the Pioneers.
• CSUSM made just three field goals in the second quarter and shot only 21.4% (3-of-14).
• The Cougars trailed 38-27 at halftime after shooting 29.6% from the field in the first half.
• In the third quarter, CSUSM made it a 10-point ballgame on a Vasquez layup in the paint at 54-44.
• CSUSM cut the gap to 74-64 with 1:43 remaining in the game on a Kelsey Forrester layup.
• A pair of made free throws from Hackson with 1:01 to go once again cut the gap to 10 at 76-66.
• The Pioneers went 4-of-4 at the charity stripe to secure the win.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM saw its program-record 18-game win streak snapped.
• This marks the Cougars' second appearance in the tournament finale after falling to UCSD in the championship game in 2020.
• The Pioneers won the battle of the boards, 42-30.
• The Cougars got 24 points from fast breaks while CSUEB only got 12.
• CSUEB got 42 of its 80 points inside the paint.
• CSUSM tallied four blocked shots, tying for its second most this season.
• The Cougars' 32.8 field-goal percentage was their second lowest of the season with the lowest coming in the first meeting at CSUEB.
• CSUSM went 5-of-24 from the 3-point line, its worst performance of the season.
• The Cougars are now 6-8 in the all-time series against the Pioneers and 1-1 when playing on a neurtal court. 
• Both team went to the free throw line fo a combined total of 52 times with CSUSM going 21-of-25 (84.0%) while CSUEB made 19-of-27 (70.4%).
   

 
UP NEXT
The Cougars will now wait for the NCAA Division II Selection Show where the 64-team field will be unveiled live on NCAA.com at 7 p.m. (PT) tomorrow. In the latest NCAA West Regional Poll, CSUSM was ranked No. 3 behind No. 1 Cal State East Bay and No. 2 Western Washington. The top eight teams in the final regional poll will advance.