SEASIDE, Calif. – In its next-to-last road game of the regular season, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team fell 88-76 to Cal State Monterey Bay in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play on Thursday night at the Otter Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Alex Gil-Fernandez – 27 points | 10 rebounds | 3 blocked shots
Jayce McCain – 19 points | 6 rebounds | 3 assists | 3 steals
Blake Seits – 13 points | 5 rebounds | 2 steals
Khalil Fuller – 8 points | 10 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Otters held a double-digit advantage for a majority of the first 20 minutes while the Cougars were not able to gain the lead.
• CSUSM ended the first half with a 45-29 deficit to CSUMB as the Cougars shot 34.3% (12-of-35) from the field while the Otters came in at 47.4% (18-of-38).
• Gil-Fernandez and Seits each led CSUSM with eight points.
• The Otters got the buckets to fall from downtown in the first half by shooting 42.1% (8-of-19). The Cougars were 1-of-8 (12.5%) from beyond the arc.
• CSUMB took its largest lead of the game at 55-33 with a three by Tommy Kramer with 16:35 to go in the game.
• On an 11-2 run, CSUSM cut the lead to 59-48 after a fast-break layup by McCain with 12:51 remaining.
• With a 12-4 run of their own, the Otters took a 19-point lead at 71-52 on a driving layup by Charlie Tooley with 9:20 to go.
• CSUSM made it a single-digit game at 81-73 on a three by McCain with 2:56 left, but it was as close as the Cougars got to the Otters' lead as CSUMB went back up by 10 with 1:05 to go.
• The Cougars went 19-of-36 (52.8%) from the field in the second half while the Otters came in at 15-of-35 (42.9%).

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM drops to 12-14 (8-12 CCAA) while CSUMB improves to 10-15 (7-12 CCAA).
• Gil-Fernandez posted his first double-double as a Cougar with a season-high 27 rebounds while tying his season high with 10 rebounds.
• The 13 field goals made by Gil-Fernandez tied for the most by a Cougar this season.
• CSUSM's loss broke of streak of five consecutive wins and was CSUMB first win over the Cougars since Jan. 30, 2016.
• The Cougars are now 6-2 in the all-time series against the Otters and are 2-2 when playing in Seaside.
• CSUSM is now eighth in the CCAA standings – a half-game behind Cal State Dominguez Hills and a half-game ahead of Cal State LA and Cal State Monterey Bay.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will play its final road game and next-to-last contest of the regular season on Saturday at Cal State East Bay. Tip-off in Hayward is set for 3 p.m.