SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A baseline floater in the final seconds didn't drop for Amiee Book and Fresno State dropped its fourth game this season by three points or less as they fell 62-61 on Saturday at Sacramento State.
Amaya West matched her career high in the scoring as the senior joined fellow senior Yanina Todorova with a game-high 18 points. Amiee Book joined them in double figures with 12 points.
How It Happened
Following a corner 3 from Amaya West that gave the 'Dogs an early 7-5 lead, Sacramento State went on a 10-0 run in less than two minutes. Fresno State scored just five the rest of the quarter as the Hornets led 27-12 after 10 minutes.
The Bulldogs did fade away though, hitting Sacramento State with a 7-0 run midway through the second period with a pair of buckets from Amiee Book and an and-one from Franka Wittenberg. Fresno State trailed by 10 at the half but momentum was beginning to turn.
The Bulldogs ramped up its defense coming out of the break, forcing six turnovers in less than seven minutes en route to a 18-4 run to take a 48-44 with 3:21 on the clock. Fresno State took a two-point lead into the fourth but that quickly disappeared behind three straight layups from 6-foot-5 Isnelle Natabou to open the final period.
The Bulldogs kept the deficit near one possession for the final five minutes. A steal from behind and a layup the other way by Keely Brown with less than a minute pulled the 'Dogs within one. A stop and a Fresno State had the ball. After a miss shot, with her 10 seconds remaining, the 'Dogs came up with an offensive rebound with 5.5 seconds on the clock. Caught in the corner, Book turned on the baseline and got up a floater but it only drew the iron.
Notes
Fresno State suffered its fourth loss of the season in games separated by three points or less.
The Bulldogs are 0-3 when allowing teams to score 20 points in a quarter.
Fresno State scored a season-high 27 points off 15 turnovers.
The 'Dogs shot 48.1 percent from the field, their second-highest percentage of the season.
Amaya West matched her career high with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Yanina Todorova posted her second-highest point total of the season with 18.
With seven points, Keely Brown, scored her most points since Dec. 11, 2020.
Brown swiped a career-high four steals.
Amiee Book scored in double figures for the second-straight game with 12 points.
Next Up
After four games away from home, the Bulldogs will return to the Save Mart Center on Thursday to host Northern Arizona. It will be the first of three straight games at home.