SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In its first game since February 2020, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team cruised to 69-55 win over Montana State Billings in the CSUSM Hoops Classic at The Sports Center on Friday night.
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TOP PERFORMERS
Blake Seits – 21 points | 8-of-15 FG | 7 rebounds | 3 steals
Alex Gil-Fernandez – 9 points | 3 assists | 2 steals | 5-of-5 FT
Jayce McCain – 8 points | 6 steals | 4 assists | 4 rebounds
Sean Dunn – 8 rebounds | 2 points
Greg Milton III – 4 steals | 4 points | 6 rebounds
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- Down 17-13, CSUSM went on a 13-2 run to take a 26-19 lead after Gil-Fernandez got the old-fashioned three-point play with 4:45 remaining in the first half.
- The Cougars posted their largest lead in the final 27 seconds of the first half after Chase Bowsher went 2-of-2 from the charity strip and gave CSUSM a 38-27 lead.
- CSUSM ended the half shooting 43.8% (14-of-32) while holding the Yellowjackets to 33.3% (9-of-27).
- Of the CSUSM's 38 points in the first half, 18 came off MSUB turnovers.
- The Cougars came busting out of the gate in the second half with a 14-0 run to take its largest lead of the night at 52-27 with 15:28 to play.
- The Yellowjackets only managed to cut the Cougars' lead to 14 at 65-51 after a layup by Emmanuel Akpan with 2:56 remaining.
- CSUSM shot 40.7% (11-of-27) in the second half compared to MSUB at 36.7% (11-of-30).
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FAST BREAKS
- CSUSM improved to 1-0 while MSUB dropped to 0-1.
- This was the Cougars' second-consecutive season-opening win.
- CSUSM's 18 steals were the most for a single game in the NCAA era (2015-present) and rank as the second most in a game in program history.
- CSUSM scored 31 points off MSUB turnovers.
- MSUB won the rebound battle at 37-34.
- The Cougars ended the game shooting 42.4% (25-of-59) while the Yellowjackets came in at 35.1% (20-of-57).
- CSUSM spent 33:28 with the lead while MSUB only held it for 2:25.
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UP NEXT
CSUSM will wrap up the CSUSM Hoops Classic tomorrow at 3 p.m. against Saint Martin's.
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