With the second half of the season creeping up on SF State’s women’s basketball team, the Gators’ in-your-face defense, top-notch physical post play, and guards who knock down shots have set this team up for a run to make the playoffs as long as they play their style of ball.

The Gators (7-8, 4-4) are currently tied for fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with Humboldt State and Cal Poly Pomona.

The team focuses most on defense in practice because Head Coach Joaquin Wallace said he wants to be the best defensive team in the conference.

Being the best defensive team will limit scoring opportunities for the opposing teams and our offense will improve on reading their defense, Wallace said.

“Defensively I’m really happy,” Wallace said.

Wallace wants everyone to contribute to the game and play 100 percent, said center Dominique Hunter.

The top three teams in the CCAA are Sonoma State (13-2, 7-1), Cal State San Bernardino (12-3, 6-2), and Chico State (13-4, 6-2).

“We know we can come out and beat them because we know what kind of teams they are,” Hunter said.

It was just last week that Wallace said his team has the “talent to win two in a row,” and if they could win both games this could carry the team’s momentum for the remainder of the season.

After saying that, the Gators swept the L.A. teams at home by a combined 31 points. On Friday, they put the beat down on Cal State Dominguez Hills (9-6, 3-5) 66-50, and Saturday followed suit with a 66-51 win over Cal State L.A. (5-9, 2-6).

The objective for the season is to come out as .500 or better, Wallace said. That could be 6-4 or 5-5, but for the remaining half of the season he wants to be no less than 5-5.

“We will take one game at a time and prepare the best way we can and hope to come out victorious,” Wallace said.

Historically, the women’s basketball team is more successful in the second half of the season, Wallace said. Usually that’s the case because the team learns how to play together and that’s what it takes to win games.

Junior Krystle Mays said her goal for the season is to make it to the playoffs in March.

“We need to go out and take force and confidence,” Mays said.

The team needs to focus on defense and get more rebounds and keep the ball on the offensive to create more scoring options said head assistant coach Antoinette “Toni” West.

The Gators are currently ranked number two in the CCAA with a defensive field goal percentage of .352, ranked fourth in defensive scoring averaging (59.2), and third in offensive rebounds.

Mays is dominating the CCAA ranking, she is 11th in points scored averaging 12.5 points a game, ranked fifth in rebounding averaging 7.3 a game, 14th in field goal percentage averaging .422 a game, and second with offensive rebounds averaging 3.93 a game.

Hunter, the freshman standout, said this team has the talent to go far.

“We need to keep the momentum up and go as far as we can,” said Hunter on what it takes to win games.

Hunter recorded her first conference double-double against Humboldt State. Hunter leads the team in field goal percentage, .604, and has 23 blocked shots. She is averaging 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds a game.

The freshman is currently ranked in the top 20 in the CCAA in field goal percentage, blocked shots, rebounding, and points scored.

Sophomore Jessica Hout-Freeman, dominated in the loss against Sonoma State scoring a career high of 22 points.

“We need to come up with intensity and heart,” Hout-Freeman said. "Then we will come out with a ‘w.’”

Brio Rode currently leads the Gators with 39 assists and is ranked 11th in CCAA. The behind-the-arc shooter is also tied for ninth with 26 three-point baskets.