HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team (19-6, 16-4 CCAA) bounced back into the win column with a 65-61 victory at Cal State East Bay (10-17, 8-12 CCAA) on Thursday night in Pioneer Gymnasium.

TOP PERFORMERS
Charity Gallegos – 22 points | 8-of-12 FG | 4-of-6 3PT FG | 5 assists
Jordan Vasquez – 19 points | 10 rebounds |
Ava Ranson – 10 points | 3 rebounds | 2 assists
Truitt Reilly – 5 rebounds | 4 blocked shots

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pioneers took a quick 9-0 lead in the opening four minutes of play before a 3-pointer by Mina Tameilau put CSUSM on the board.
• CSUSM trailed 16-7 following the first 10 minutes of play after shooting just 16.7% (2-of-12) to CSUEB's 46.7% (7-of-15).
• The Cougars went on an 8-0 run to close the gap to 25-22, capped by a Ranson layup at 3:26 of the second quarter.
• Another Ranson layup with 54 seconds remaining in the second quarter evened the game at 28-all.
• The Cougars held East Bay scoreless in the final 1:54 of the second quarter to take a 28-all score into the halftime break.
• In the second quarter, CSUSM shot 64.3% (9-of-14) while East Bay turned in 36.4% (4-of-11).
• Vasquez tallied a first-half high 14 points and seven rebounds.
• A 3-pointer by Ranson in front of the CSUSM bench gave the Cougars their first lead of the game at 39-36 with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter.
• CSUSM held a 48-43 lead entering the final quarter.
• A Malia Mastora 3-pointer from the corner gave CSUSM its first double-digit lead at 53-43 with 7:23 remaining on the clock.  
• CSUSM took its largest lead of the game at the 4:24 mark of the fourth quarter on a Tameilau layup that made it 59-48.
• The Pioneers cut the CSUSM lead to 61-58 with a 10-2 run capped by a Taylor Linzie jumper with 30 seconds remaining in the game.
• A pair of made free throws with 12 seconds remaining by Gallegos made it 65-58.
• Payton Sterk was able to get one last 3-pointer in before the final buzzer to make it 65-61.

FAST BREAK

• With two games remaining in the regular season, the Cougars continue to have a one-game lead over second-place Chico State for first place in the CCAA standings.
• After poor first-quarter shooting, CSUSM finished at 48% (24-of-50) after shooting 50% or higher in the other three quarters.
• Jordan Vasquez collected her 16th double-double of the season (19 pts, 10 reb.) and the 42nd of her collegiate career.
• Charity Gallegos notched her eighth 20-plus point game of the season, the first since her 28-point night on Jan. 25 at Chico State.
• Truitt Reilly's four blocked shots were a season high.
• CSUSM led for 35.8% (14:20) of the game, all in the second half while CSUEB was on top for 54% (21:37).
• East Bay won the battle of the boards at 36-29 with 15 coming on the offensive side.
• Thirty of CSUSM's points came in the paint while East Bay tallied 28.
• CSUSM committed its second-lowest amount of fouls this season, finishing with just 11 in the 40 minutes.
• The Cougars went 6-of-7 from the 3-point line in the second half.
• CSUSM is now 10-8 in the all-time series against the Pioneers, extending its win streak to four games.

UP NEXT
The Cougars will head to San Francisco State for a 1 p.m. tipoff on Saturday to continue their five-game road trip to close out the 2023-24 regular season.