Full court press and lots of physical play from Chico State (5-15, 1-12 CCAA) had SF State (13-7, 8-5 CCAA) trailing early during the annual Homecoming game, but the Gator guards were a powerhouse with more than 40 points between them--leading the Gators to a 66-to-61 win over the Wildcats.

“Chico played hard. They took it as a personal challenge because it was our homecoming,” Alex Thomas said, “but defense won the game for us.”

Junior guard Darryl Robinson was on fire with three from behind the arc and another six from the field, leading the Gators with 15 points, eight rebounds, and two shot blocks. Rob Hayes, freshman point guard, put a dozen points on the board and snagged three steals on the stat sheet followed by nine points, eight rebounds, and two assists from junior guard Thomas and another nine from forward Martίn Flores.

“I wanted to get going on offense like I do on defense,” Robinson said, “I try to shoot with confidence.”

Robinson has been a leading defense player for the Gators this year typically assigned to the most offensively-challenging player to focus on shutting down the lead scorer, but tonight the San Mateo native showed his depth as a player by bringing the offensive fury too.

The Gators and Wildcats ended in a dead heat with 40 rebounds each while the Gators fouled slightly more, 23-to-21, but outshot Chico State in all three categories. SF State outshot Chico from the field 39-to-38 percent, 3-point shooting held for the Gators at 42 percent while the Wildcats dropped at 25 percent success. Even though SF State has historically struggled with free throws, they went 14-for-20 in the first half and four-for-eight in the second keeping them well above Chico’s 13-for-28 overall.

Flores gained five of his nine points from free throws and another deuce from an opportune second half drive into the key. The returning possession had Chris Rodriguez at the top of key, feeding into Flores for a short basket off a power dribble with two minutes and 44 seconds left. Rodriguez had six points, three rebounds and three assists.

“We just had to match them in physicality,” Robinson said, “out-tough them down low.”

Ryan Wessels dunked twice during the game, but neither counted because of fouls, one his and another on the floor seconds before. He walked away with five points and three rebounds. Derek Flether was 3-for-4 from the free throw line and had four on the boards.

When games are intensely physical, play gets chopped up with referee's whistles and players on the floor, but this game was a fight for the posts and required finesse from the perimeter.

Robinson’s second three-pointer during the first half gave the Gators their first lead of the game and upped the tempo for the crowd and the team. During the second half the six-foot three-inch guard stayed on-point with another seven points before the final buzzer.

Freshman guard Phoenix O’Rourke added in two from behind the 3-point line for six points of his own. Chico State’s Darroll Phillips led the Wildcats with 18 points including four three-pointers and five from the field. The Wildcats air-balled two in the final minute, including the final shot to stop the Wildcats mad scratching to stay alive.

The Gators were down by as many as six points in the first half but recovered to a two-point lead before half time. Boxing out, good defense and running plays were the focus of the half-time talk, Treseler said, and the guys came out strong. SF State went on a 16-to-7 run in the second half leaving Chico State down by 11.

“We played with enthusiasm, we played unselfish,” head coach Bill Treseler said. Although the execution of offense wasn’t as clean as he’d like it to be, the team handled Chico’s full-court press without problems and refused to allow Chico any transition opportunities.

The Gators will for three in a row Saturday night in the Swamp at 7:30 against Cal State Stanislaus. SF State handed Cal State Stanislaus a 10 point loss in January.