SAN FRANCISCO – The Sonoma State women's basketball won their fifth straight game on Thursday evening, using a stingy defense to topple San Francisco State 49-40. The season low in points allowed moved the Seawolves to 7-6 overall and 4-3 in CCAA play.
SF State got out early on Sonoma State, taking an 8-3 lead in the first six minutes as the Seawolves struggled from the field.
Alli McDonald got things started offensively, making their first basket of the game and following it up with a 3-pointer to even the score.
After the game moved to the second with the Gators leading 10-8 the home team added to their advantage with a 10-4 run and went ahead 20-12.
Taylor Johnson drew the Seawolves back into the game with a personal 7-0 run, draining two triples and adding a free-throw to make it 20-19. SFSU netted the final basket of the game to send it to the break leading 22-19.
Johnson was back at it to start the third, scoring the team's first seven points on a 3-pointer and four freebies but the Seawolves still found themselves trailing by four in the final minutes of the quarter. In the final minute Johnson hit another shot and
Jayme Blackard beat the buzzer with a three to put Sonoma State on top for the first time.
The Gators grabbed the lead back to open the fourth but McDonald hit another 3-pointer to make it 36-34 and the Seawolves never trailed again.
Emerson Herrmann and McDonald added buckets to stretch the advantage to five at the halfway point of the fourth. A few minutes later
Amanda Luckett and
Chasity Spady recorded back-to-back layups to make it a seven-point game and SSU would ice the game at the free-throw line.
The Seawolves put the clamps on the Gators throughout the game, allowing a season low 40 points and holding their opponents to just 32% from the field. SSU meanwhile shot well from distance, hitting 7 of 13 from beyond-the-arc. Johnson led all players with 18 points, tying a career high. She hit 3 of 4 from long range and 7 of 8 from the charity stripe. McDonald tacked on 15 points for her fifth straight game in double figures.
Sonoma State looks to make it six straight this weekend with a contest against Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday.
