HAYWARD, Calif. – On Thursday, Cal State East Bay lost a tight CCAA contest, 65-61 to Cal State San Marcos inside Pioneer Gymnasium.
 

GAME SUMMARY

The Pioneers started the ballgame on a 9-0 run capped by a Payton Sterk 3-pointer with 6:16 left in the quarter. The Cougars would then go on a 5-0 spurt, capped by a Charity Gallegos jumper with 5:26 left, trimming the Pioneers' lead to 9-5. The Pioneers led 16-7 after one quarter of play.
 
In the second quarter, the Pioneers led by as much as 11 points on three occasions; the third occasion at 25-14 on a Lailah Carey jumper with 5:22 left in the half. From that point, the Cougars went on a 14-3 run, capped by an Ava Ranson layup with 54 seconds left, to tie the game at 28-28 which was the score at halftime.
 
CSUSM outscored the Pioneers 20-12 in the third quarter to lead 48-43 after three quarters.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Cougars led by as much as 11 points, but CSUEB went on 13-5 run, capped by a Linzie jumper with 30 seconds left, to trim the Cougars' lead to 61-58. The Pioneers got no closer though as the Cougars won 65-61.
 

NOTABLE STATS

• Sterk scored sixteen 16 for the Pioneers, going 6-for-17 from the floor and 1-for-3 from the free throw line. She made three shots from beyond the arc. 
• Sierra Morris and Jaela Richardson each scored 10 points in the loss.
• Charity Gallegos had a game high 22 points for the Cougars.
• CSUEB shot 40 percent from the floor, while the Cougars shot 48 percent in field goals.
• The Pioneers outrebounded the Cougars, 36-29.
• Thursday's loss for the Pioneers mathematically eliminates them from the possibility of qualifying for the 2024 CCAA Tournament.

POSTGAME QUOTE

Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin following Thursday's loss to CSUSM:
"We came out with a sense of urgency and competed for a majority of the game. I'm satisfied with how we competed and I'm looking forward to see how we respond in our next game."
 

RECORDS

Cal State East Bay: 10-16, 8-12 CCAA
Cal State San Marcos: 19-6, 16-4 CCAA
 

UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY

The Pioneers will host Sonoma State at Pioneer Gymnasium for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff this coming Saturday. On January 18, Cal State East Bay won 57-56 over the Seawolves in Rohnert Park.