Cold Shooting Haunts No. 12/17 Cougars Against No. 2/1 WWU
11/19/2022 | Women’s Basketball | Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 12/17 Cal State San Marcos women’s basketball team (2-1) fell 63-46 to No. 2/1 Western Washington (1-1) in the 2022 West Region Crossover Classic finale on Saturday afternoon in Orca Arena on the campus of Whatcom Community College.
TOP PERFORMERS
Kelsey Forrester – 22 points | 46.7 FG% | 1 rebound
Kate Carlson – 10 rebounds | 3 assists
Mina Tameilau – 4 points | 8 rebounds | 1 assist
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cougars came out hot, taking a quick 6-2 lead after Forrester and Tameilau each sunk 3-pointers in the opening two minutes.
The Vikings responded with 13 unanswered points to take a 15-6 lead.
The first quarter closed with WWU holding a 19-11 lead after the Vikings shot 50% from the field (8-of-16) to CSUSM’s 25% (4-of-16).
The Cougars outscored the Vikings 14-13 in the second quarter, with both teams recording five field goals that included two 3-pointers.
CSUSM trailed 32-25 at the halftime break with Forrester leading all scorers with 11 points.
The third quarter was the turning point for WWU as the Vikings outscored CSUSM 20-8 after shooting 60% (9-of-15) from the field while holding the Cougars to 15.8% (3-of-19).
The Vikings took their largest lead of the game in the third quarter on Wallings’ hook shot off a turnover to make it 48-27 at the 2:22 mark.
The Cougars closed the gap to 13 points (56-43) on a pair of free throws by Forrester with 4:10 remaining in the game.
FAST BREAKS
Forrester’s 22 points were her second highest in her career after she tallied 23 points at Cal Poly Pomona on Dec. 19, 2019.
CSUSM tallied 12 offensive boards to WWU’s eight, but was outrebounded by the Vikings, 46-31.
WWU tallied 38 points in the paint while CSUSM registered just 14 points.
CSUSM shot just 25.0% (16-of-64) from the field while WWU finished at 50.0% (26-of-52).
This was just the second-ever meeting between CSUSM and WWU with the Vikings winning last year’s contest in The Sports Center.
Last season, WWU was the 2022 NCAA National Runner-Up after falling to Glenville State in the national championship game.
UP NEXT
The Cougars will face Westminster on Friday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. in Felix Center on the campus of Azusa Pacific.
