Dominican University’s Conlan Center will be looked at as the house of horrors for San Francisco State University men’s basketball team. The Gators lost two consecutive games in their season-opening weekend in San Rafael, this time a 87-62 defeat to the Western Washington University Vikings on Saturday.
In their second game of the West Region Tipoff Challenge, the Gators never led throughout the entire game, but head coach Vince Inglima said the team played better than the night before.
“I thought we took huge strides forward today,” Inglima said. “We dug ourselves a hole right out of the gate, but for the next 27 minutes, we played even basketball with [Western Washington].”
That hole was a 14-2 deficit before the five-minute mark of the first half. The Gators did show some fight with redshirt junior guard Parsa Hadjighasemi hitting a pair of 3-pointers, cutting the Vikings’ lead to seven points at one point.
However, that momentum was short-lived as the Vikings consistently led by double digits throughout the first half and went into the halftime break with a 43-28 lead. In the first half, the Gators struggled to find consistency on the offensive end, shooting just 30% from the field. Junior guard Milandev Chatha led the Gators with seven points but had to sit after getting into foul trouble, picking up his third foul with just under six minutes left in the first half.
In the second half, the Vikings extended their lead by as many as 21 points. Aidan Rice, a sophomore guard for Western Washington, had 16 points on 50% shooting. Rice led his team for the second straight night in scoring.
“I’m just trusting my teammates and coaches and [head coach Tony Dominguez] for putting me in the right place to make the right decision,” Rice said. “Whether that’s making a pass or going to score.”
The Gators’ standout performance came from junior forward Mason Harris, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double. His 16 bench points came on an efficient night, as he shot 7 of 9 from the field.
“I feel like I brought the intensity off the bat,” Harris said. “I knew my job and my role, especially after losing yesterday, I knew what I needed to bring to the table. So I came in just hot and ready, and I just did what my team needed me to do.”
Inglima said Harris is a difference maker when he is able to play at such a level. He also credited the mental focus it has taken Harris to find his rhythm.
“He’s an incredibly talented player,” Inglima said. “He’s had some [trouble] staying healthy, staying on the court in the preseason, so he’s still rounding into shape.”
Harris confirmed suffering an injury to his dominant right hand, in which he tore a ligament along with a fracture.
Transfer junior forward Bricen Buciak also hasn’t gotten off to an ideal start. In his first two games with SFSU, he scored just 10 points on 17% shooting. Buciak said the team can rectify some of their issues that have come to light this weekend.
“[We have to] limit the other team to one shot only and to take care of the ball,” Buciak said.
In their first two games, the Gators have turned the ball over 27 times and have given up 21 offensive rebounds, resulting in 24 second-chance points for their opponents.
The Gators look to pick up their first win of the season as they return to the Swamp for their home opener on Nov. 22 against the Vanguard University Lions.
