Box Score ONTARIO, Calif.  -- Senior forward Brandon Tatum's career night was not enough, as No. 6 seed SF State fell to No. 3 seed Chico State by a final score of 78-66 in the first round of the CCAA Basketball Championships at Citizens Business Bank Arena.  Tatum finished with 25 points on 9 of 11 shooting from the field.

SF State  led after the intermission by two points, spurred on by Tatum's strong play, The Gators first half was aided by their total control of the glass, as SFSU outrebounded the Wildcats 21-10 which led to 10 first half points in the paint.

The Gators built their largest lead of the game, 10:53 into the second half, 47-40 on a Derrick Brown jumper.  

Chico State (21-6) outscored the Gatorsd 13-2 in the next three minutes to take a 53-49 lead.

Brandon Tatum's lay-up off an assist from Nefi Perdomo, but the Wildcat lead to 55-54 with 6;09 to go, but that is the closest the Gators would get as Chico State increased its lead to 72-60 with just 1:25 left on the clock.

Udun Osakue's three with 72 seconds on the clock, gave the Gators as they cut the deficit to 72-63. Chico State went six for six from the charity stirpe down the stretch to secure the 78-66 win.

The Gators (14-12) controlled the battle on the glass, 36-29, but the Wildcats held them to just 41% shooting from the field including 27% from three-point land.  

The Wildcats had three players score in double diguts led by Rashad Parker with a game high 26 points on 7 of 15 shooting from the field including connecting on three of his attempts from beyond the arc.  Parker also connected on all of his nine attempts from the charity strip  Giordano Estrada added 16 points for the victors, who will face Cal Poly Pomona tomorrow afternoon at 2:35 pm in the semi-finals of the CCAA Championships.

Box Score