OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Ignited by a packed gym, the No. 3 Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team upset defending NAIA national champion and No. 1 Vanguard in the annual CSUSM Homecoming Game, 73-71, on Saturday night at MiraCosta College.

The Cougars used a 21-6 run to overcome a 10-point second half deficit and seemed to be comfortably ahead, 69-62, with 35 seconds left. However, Chris Gorman traded back-to-back 3-pointers with pair of CSUSM free throws, and VU pulled within three with 0:23 remaining.

Blake Nash was fouled and hit both free throws, but AU forward Zach Allman answered with another 3-pointer to make it 73-71.

Nash was fouled again with six seconds on the clock; two free throws would ice the game. 4-of-4 on his last two trips, Nash missed both off the front of the rim and VU took the rebound.

Gorman had an open look from above the top of the key, but it hit back iron and the Cougars escaped with a two-point victory.

CSUSM improves to 6-0 on the season while Vanguard drops to 4-2.

"We had to get more aggressive and get to the foul line. We just weren't aggressive in the first half and we had no push," said CSUSM head coach Jim Saia. "We push the ball. That said, I thought we were able to do what we needed to in the second half and we were able to hold on there at the end."

Wade Collie hit two critical 3-pointers down the stretch and scored a season-high 17 points to help pace the Cougars. Nash matched Collie's 17 and added a game-high six assists with six boards.

Declan Daly had a solid night inside, as he and Nash connected at the bucket repeatedly to keep VU at bay late in the game. Daly finished 8-of-11 for 16 points, with nine rebounds and four blocks.

Dayton Boddie provided a workmanlike eight points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. He also played a game-high 36 minutes.

Both teams were awful from the field in the opening stanza, with CSUSM outshooting Vanguard a paltry 38.7 percent to 37.1 percent. The Cougars were 13-of-25 (52 percent) in the second half.

CSUSM did not visit the charity stripe in the first half, but went 18-of-26 in final 20 minutes. The home crowd seemed to bother the Lions a bit from the stripe, as VU went 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) for the game.  

CSUSM has a quick turnaround before heading to the Hope International Classic in Fullerton on Monday and Tuesday, November 24 and 25. The Cougars take on No. 11 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) Monday and Fisk Tuesday.

"It was great to see President Haynes and her husband on the sideline. It's nice to see the San Marcos family – the students, our faculty, our staff - enjoy the product that was built up over four years," said Saia. "To see this program start from scratch, I'm thankful that they came and supported our program and our team."

Notes
CSUSM University President Dr. Karen S. Haynes and the First Gentleman, Jim Mickelson, were in attendance courtside along with Vice President of University Advancement Neal Hoss … BLU CRU, the CSUSM student section, reintroduced itself to the Cougar faithful with brand-new t-shirts and led the CSUSM crowd in the traditional chants of the former "Blue Crew" … The CSUSM Homecoming Game capped CSUSM Homecoming Week, a week-long celebration of current students and graduates … Crash, the CSUSM Cougar mascot, was on point throughout the evening.