CARSON, Calif. – The No. 16/22 and third-seeded Cal State San Marcos women’s basketball team (24-5) is heading to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history after capturing a 75-67 win over seventh-seeded Azusa Pacific in the West Regional Semifinals on Saturday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills’ Torodome.
TOP PERFORMERS
Charity Gallegos – 21 points | 5 rebounds | 4 assists
Kelsey Forrester – 15 points | 4 rebounds | 4-of-7 3FG
Dynnah Buckner – 11 points | 7 rebounds | 2 assists
Jordan Vasquez – 10 points | 11 rebounds
Mina Tameilau – 9 points | 7 rebounds | 4 steals
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUSM trailed 12-5 at the 3:56 mark of the first quarter after APU’s Tylee Manuel hit a jumper.
APU had a 17-12 lead following the first quarter.
A Vasquez second-chance bucket off the glass cut APU’s lead to 31-30 with 1:02 remaining in the second quarter.
The first half ended on a driving layup by Dynnah Buckner to close the gap to 34-32 APU.
CSUSM shot 32.1% (9-of-28) from the field and was 3-of-8 from behind the arc in the first half while APU shot 39.4% (13-of-33) from the field and 66.7% (6-of-9) from 3-point line.
CSUSM went to the free throw line 14 times, sinking 11 while APU made just four trips and made two.
CSUSM came out of the halftime break with a Gallegos hook shot to make it 34-all at 9:33.
APU answered with a 7-0 run to take a 43-34 lead capped by a spin move for a layup by Kelly Heimburger with 6:22 remaining.
A Tameilau layup and an old-fashioned 3-point play by Dynnah Buckner cut the gap to 43-39 with 5:11 on the clock in the third quarter.
A Forrester 3-pointer from the corner made it 43-42 APU at 3:45.
APU took a 57-49 lead into the final 10 minutes with both teams shooting 50%.
Back-to-back Gallegos 3-pointers evened the game at 57-all with 7:28 remaining.
Gallegos came out of an APU 30-second timeout with a pull-up jumper to give CSUSM its first lead of the second half at 59-57.
CSUSM took a 64-59 lead on a Vasquez turn-around jumper with 4:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.
A pair of made free throws by Kate Carlson gave CSUSM its largest lead of the game at 72-63 with 24 seconds remaining.
CSUSM held APU to just 10 points in the fourth quarter after putting up 24 points – 14 coming from Gallegos.
FAST BREAKS
CSUSM outshot APU 42.6% (23-of-54) to 37.1% (26-of-70).
CSUSM won the battle of the boards, 40-36.
CSUSM led for just 5:35, all in the fourth quarter, while APU was on top for 29:03.
Eighteen of CSUSM’s points came off APU’s 14 turnovers.
Vasquez tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
This was CSUSM’s second win over Azusa Pacific in five meetings. In its last meeting, CSUSM fell 89-86 in overtime to APU in the 2022 NCAA Division II West Regional Quarterfinals.
Gallegos’ 21 points was her fourth consecutive 20-plus game after registering 27 against Central Washington in the West Regional Quarterfinals, 29 points against Cal State Dominguez Hills in the CCAA Tournament Championship and 22 against Cal State LA in the CCAA Tournament Semifinals.
CSUSM’s 25 wins ties a program record set in 2019-20.
Forrester is 17 points away from joining CSUSM’s prestigious 1,000-point club.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will face top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills (30-2) in the NCAA Division II West Regional Final on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Torodome in Carson. CSUSM last faced the Toros in the CCAA Tournament Championship where the Cougars picked up their first conference tournament title with a 74-62 victory.
