Box Score OCEANSIDE, Calif. – AJ Gasporra registered 27 points in his first game in Cougar blue and the No. 15 Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team came back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to defeat the University of Alberta 76-63 on Thursday night at MiraCosta College.
Gasporra, a senior who became eligible on Dec. 21 after missing the team's first 14 games, scored 18 points in the first half and finished 8-of-10 from the field while making 9-of-10 free throws.
CSUSM (11-4), which started the game 0-of-7 from the field, trailed by as much as 12 six minutes into the second frame.
Jose Rivera hit a three off a dish from
Danny Redmon to pull the Cougars within single digits, and Redmon followed with a pair of fast break layups to make it 55-51 at the 11:29 mark.
Jordan Baker converted a tough left-handed layup to push Alberta (14-4) back up by six with 8:23 left, but CSUSM held the Golden Bears to just a single field goal the rest of the way.
Adam Eakles converted a 3-point play before
Hakeem Washington hit a 3-pointer from the corner to force the game's first tie, 59-59, with 7:07 left. UA hit a free throw to go back up by one on its next trip down the floor, but Rivera answered with his fourth 3-pointer of the game to hand CSUSM's its first lead, 62-60, with 6:45 left.
From there, the Cougars put together a 10-0 run to make it 72-60 thanks to a pair of layups from Redmon, a jumper by Eakles and four successful free throws from Gasporra.
The Golden Bears got their last points on Baker's layup with 45 seconds remaining, but Gasporra's two free throws iced the contest seven ticks later.
Rivera went 5-of-8 and 4-of-7 from 3-point land for a total of 14 points. Redmon finished with 13 while adding team-highs of five assists and four steals.
The Golden Bears shot 75-percent in the first half but were held to just 20-percent in the second stanza. Kenneth Otieno led Alberta with 15 points while Baker chipped in with 14.
CSUSM will host the New Year's Cougar Classic on Friday and Saturday at MiraCosta College. The Classic will feature Hope International, UC Merced and Lethbridge.
The Cougars face UC Merced on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before clashing with Lethbridge at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.
