SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Despite a strong presence from beyond the arc, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team fell 82-77 to RV/NR Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday night at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Blake Seits – 22 points | 6-of-15 3FG
Marcus Brown – 15 points | 2 rebounds | 1 blocked shot
Alex Gil-Fernandez – 14 points | 4 rebounds | 3 steals
Khalil Fuller – 12 points | 11 rebounds
Jayce McCain – 8 assists | 7 points | 2 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSB took its largest lead of the first half at 15-5 with 13:20 remaining.
• A 7-0 run capped by a Brown three put the Cougars down 15-12 with 11:42 to go in the period.
• A Coyote three by Tyrell Henderson put CSUSB back up by 10 at 24-14 with 8:25 remaining.
• A huge 12-2 run by CSUSM knotted the game at 26-all with a jumper by Seits at the 5:02 mark.
• After a two-minute scoreless run, two free throws by CSUSB's Shea Rax put the Coyotes back on top at 28-26 with 3:04 to go in the half.
• The Cougars went to the locker room with a 37-30 deficit to the Coyotes as Fuller led CSUSM with eight points.
• CSUSM shot 40.7% (11-of-27) from the field in the first 20 minutes while CSUSB came in at 39.4% (13-of-33).
• The Coyotes owned the boards in the first half with a 26-16 advantage.
• CSUSB took its largest lead of the game early in the second half as it went up 45-32 after a Daytone Jennings layup with 17:59 remaining.
• A 12-2 run by CSUSM brought CSUSB's lead down to 47-43 after two made free throws by Gil-Fernandez at the 14:57 mark.
• The Coyotes took an 11-point lead at 60-49 after Jeremy Smith made a pair of free throws with 10:49 to go.
• A three by Kyle Scalmanini with 4:34 brought the score to 76-71.
• A Fuller layup with 30 seconds remaining made it a four-point game at 83-79.
• After Fuller made a free throw with 16 seconds remaining to make it 84-80, CSUSB ended the game by making four consecutive free throws to earn the win after leading wire-to-wire.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM falls to 8-9 (4-7 CCAA) while CSUSB improves to 14-3 (9-2 CCAA).
• The Cougars are now 2-5 against the Coyotes in the all-time series and are 2-2 at The Sports Center.
• This was the Coyotes fifth consecutive win over the Cougars.
• With the win, CSUSB took the season series after winning the previous matchup against CSUSM by a score of 89-73 on Dec. 21.
• The Cougars' 14 made 3-pointers tied for the fifth-most in a single game in program history. CSUSM last made 14 in a game against Stanislaus State on Jan. 20, 2018.
• CSUSM's 38 attempted 3-pointers were the team's most in the NCAA era (2015-present) and tied for the third most in program history.
• Fuller notched his sixth double-double of the season.
• McCain's eight assists tied his own season high against CSUSB on Dec. 21.
• CSUSM's 12 steals were the third most this season.
• Only 14 of CSUSM's 80 points came in the paint.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will welcome No. 20/RV Cal Poly Pomona to The Sports Center on Saturday at 3 p.m.