MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon wiped away a small halftime deficit with a 20-5 run spanning the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter to defeat San Francisco State, 72-63, on day one of the 2016 WOU/Hampton Inn D2 Shooutout at the New P.E. Building. WOU junior guard Shelby Snook led four players in double figures with 18 points.
 
The Wolves (1-0) utilized their game-defining run over a six-minute period with excellent ball movement, tough layups through the Gators (0-1) interior defense and execution from the free-throw line. A 7-2 run closed the third quarter with a pair of layups from sophomore Kaylie Boschma and a three-point play inside from junior Savannah Heugly. Another 7-0 rally began the fourth quarter and the lead ballooned to 15 points on a Heugly second-chance jumper after Jasmine Miller secured an offensive rebound.
 
"We found our rhythm in the third quarter and did a great job sharing the basketball," WOU head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said.  "Shelby and Kennedy Corrigan did a much better job in the second half pushing the ball and we really made them have to defend us in transition.  Savannah was a huge lift off the bench for us and gave us another scoring threat.  Ali and Jasmine controlled the boards for us and were a big part of us out-rebounding (them) by 14."
 
Western's lead remained in double digits until the final minute.
 
The Gators held WOU to 27.3 percent shooting in the first half to take a 32-28 lead into the halftime locker room. San Francisco State bumped the lead to seven with a 3-pointer early in the third quarter, but Western Oregon rebounded to outscore the Gators 20-11 for the period to take a 48-43 lead.
 
"At the half we talked about valuing the basketball and converting on second opportunities and we committed to changing those in the second half and that ultimately was the difference in the game," Howard-Carpenter added.
 
Joining Snook (6-8 FG, 3-4 3FG) with over 10 points for Western Oregon were Launia Davis with 15 points, Boschma with 14 and Heugly with 12 off the bench.
 
"I'm really proud of the way we fought tonight, they showed some grit down the stretch and they really deserved this win." Howard-Carpenter said. "We didn't have a great scout coming in but they worked through it and made the in-game adjustments we needed to take and keep the lead."
The Wolves shot 16 of 30 in the second half (53.3 percent) to finish the game hitting 39.7 percent from the floor. Miller led all players with nine rebounds (five offensive) while Ali Nelke chipped in eight boards.
 
Western Oregon forced 13 San Francisco State turnovers and turned them into 17 points.
 
Kaitlin DaDalt paced the Gators with 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
Western Oregon closes out their home weekend tournament on Sunday against Cal State East Bay at 2 p.m.