SEASIDE, Calif. — On the verge of a breakout performance for the past few games, everything finally fell into place for Emma Keenan (Spokane/Lewis and Clark HS) Friday night when the freshman forward exploded for 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Cal State Monterey Bay past Cal State Stanislaus in overtime, 63–59, in The Kelp Bed.

Keenan's 20 and 10 were both career highs in her first collegiate double–double. She was far from the only hero on this night, however, as CSUMB also got 15 points and a career–high six steals from Jenna Bandy (Thousand Oaks HS) and a 12–point, 10–rebound double–double from junior post Jazmine Johnson (Garden Grove/Santa Ana College).

None of those efforts appeared anywhere near possible in the early going as CSUMB made just four of its first 24 attempts from the field and finished the first half shooting an anemic 19 percent (5-for-27). But the Otters played such solid defense that they trailed just 25–18 at intermission.

Things turned around quickly in the second half as Keenan and the Otters simply caught fire. Keenan scored 15 points and grabbed eight boards after the break as the Otters hammered away at a 10–point deficit with a 17–3 run to turn a 32–22 Stanislaus lead into a 39–35 advantage. 

The teams played through six lead changes over the final 10 minutes before a Keenan free throw with 38 seconds remaining in regulation forged a 53–53 tie and forced overtime.

A pair of McKenna Hill (Ventura/St. Bonaventure HS) free throws 78 seconds into extra time put the Otters on top 55–53. The Otters protected the lead vigorously and never trailed for the balance of overtime.

CSUMB closes the first half of its CCAA schedule by hosting Chico State Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.