SAN MARCOS, Calif. - In a back-and-forth battle that featured nine ties and 11 lead changes, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team pulled away from Cal State East Bay in the closing moments and won by a final score of 70-63 in a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) matchup, Saturday night at The Sports Center. Seniors Novian Cherry, Dayton Boddie, Tyson Kygar, Jordan Jefferson and Devin Koeplin were honored prior to the contest, as they played in their final home game.
 
The Cougars win their fifth straight game and improve to 18-8 overall and 12-6 in conference play. The Pioneers drop to 12-14 overall and 5-13 in the CCAA.
 
CSUSM shot 40.4 percent (21-52) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-18) from behind the arc and 95.5 percent (21-22) from the charity stripe. CSUEB went 45.6 percent (26-57) on field goals, 19 percent (4-21) on 3-pointers and 87.5 percent (7-8) on free throws. The Cougars were outrebounded by the Pioneers 40-24, including 11-3 on the offensive glass. CSUSM was able to force CSUEB to 18 turnovers, while committing only eight.
 
Junior guard Ethan Alvano scored 27 points and dished out four assists for the Cougars. Junior forward Joe Boyd pitched in 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Micah Dunhour was the Pioneers' only player in double figures as he compiled 29 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
 
Neither team could take control of the game in the beginning. With the score even at 27-27, CSUSM went on a 12-2 run to close the first half. Spiers nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer while fading away to cap off the run as the Cougars went into halftime up 39-29.
 
The Pioneers kept chipping away at the CSUSM lead in the second half. A 9-0 run gave CSUEB its first advantage of the half, 48-47, with a little more than nine minutes remaining. Trailing 58-56 with three minutes left, the Cougars scored seven unanswered points to close the door on the Pioneers. Two free throws from Brian Wright, a jumper from Boyd and a corner 3-pointer from Kygar gave CSUSM a 63-58 advantage. The Cougars were able to make their necessary free throws down the stretch to prevail by seven.
 
CSUSM will play its second-to-last game of the season with a road matchup against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday, Feb. 23. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.