The Chico State Wildcats women’s basketball team beat the San Francisco State Gators 85-40 in their Thursday night match-up in Acker Gym. This win pushes them to a 13-4 record in conference play, sitting in 3rd place.

Before the game started, a tribute to mental health occurred as players from both teams met at half court, holding up signs commemorating mental health and what it means to them. 

Senior guard Kaylie Edge noted what her pre-game approach looks like to help her get into the right headspace. 

“I get here early, I just like to have some time to myself, play some music, kind of get into the groove, and then I get ready with my girls,” Edge said. “We just keep the energy going from literally the locker room to the court.” 

The ’Cats came out strong, jumping out early to a 10-2 lead in the first quarter. They set the tone defensively as well, scoring four points off second-chance shots while holding the Gators to zero. 

Going into halftime, the ’Cats held a comfortable 43-27 lead, but there was a different game to watch now. 

Unlike a typical halftime performance, when the buzzer signaled the end of the second quarter, a sea of elementary-aged girls took the court for halftime entertainment. 

The inspired young girls played their own game of basketball, dribbling from baseline-to-baseline, ecstatic to play in front of a college crowd.

The ’Cats kept the momentum, coming out strong in the third quarter on both sides of the ball, allowing only five points while scoring 26. 

Junior guard Nseije Ortiz boasted a balanced stat line with nine points, four steals, eight assists and six rebounds. 

“Whenever I don’t have my shot, I am really aware and I have an eye for the court,” Ortiz said. “Just being able to find the open player after me is part of my game.” 

Edge scored a college career high this game with 25 points, just falling short of a double-double with her eight rebounds. 

“I’m gonna let it fly,” Edge said, noting that the Gators were guarding her more loosely compared to other teams. 

“I trusted my teammates to get me the ball. She – referring to Ortiz – fucking found me the ball every time,” Edge said. 

Recently, the ’Cats lost one of their highest scorers, Meadow Aragon, who averages 15.2 points a game, to a leg injury.

“Meadow was such a big part of our team, but I think that everyone else has really stepped up so that we can keep this level,” Edge said. 

Both Ortiz and Edge were satisfied that the ‘Cats assist to turnover ratio was particularly good this game, sitting at 21/14. 

The ’Cats next game is in Acker Gym on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Cal State East Bay. 

Acker Gym grants free entry with a Chico State student ID card or a students canvas home page. For information about all Chico State athletics or to keep up with the game live, visit the Wildcat home page, or watch through FloSports. 

Maya Vanlaningham can be reached at [email protected]