RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team put up a valiant effort against the 10th-ranked team in the nation, but ultimately fell to California Baptist in a non-conference road matchup by a final score of 84-63, Monday night at Van Dyne Gym.
 
The Lancers improve to a 10-1 overall record, while the Cougars drop to 7-4.
 
CBU went 49.2 percent (31-63) from the field, 45.5 percent (10-22) from three-point range and 92.3 percent (12-13) from the charity stripe. CSUSM shot 38.8 percent (26-67) from the floor, 22.2 percent (4-18) from behind the arc and 53.8 percent (7-13) from the free throw line. The Cougars lost the rebound battle 45-33.
 
Junior forward Joe Boyd led the Cougars with his seventh overall and fourth straight double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Three other CSUSM players scored in double figures as senior guard Brian Wright, senior guard Tyson Kygar and junior guard Ethan Alvano poured in 12, 12 and 11 points, respectively. Kalidou Diouf and Jordan Heading were CBU's leading scorers with 18 points apiece.
 
CSUSM trailed by 21 points at halftime, 44-23. The Cougars shot poorly in the half, going 10-for-31 from the field and allowed the Lancers to make 17-of-34 shots in the half that included five three-pointers.
 
CSUSM cut the deficit to 14 points, 52-38, in the second half after an Alvano layup. It would be the closest that the Cougars would get as CBU went on a 10-0 run from there and grabbed its biggest lead of the game, 62-38. CSUSM tried to make a comeback and cut the gap to 17 points, 69-52, on a Kygar jumper, but the Lancer lead was insurmountable as the Cougars fell by 21.
 
CSUSM will have 10 days off before taking on Cal State Dominguez Hills in a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) matchup on Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m.