SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The RV/No. 22 Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (6-0, 2-0 CCAA) led for all but 11 seconds as it cruised to a 79-41 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-4, 1-1 CCAA) on Thursday night at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Blake Seits – 16 points | 6-of-15 FG | 3 assists
Alex Gil-Fernandez – 10 rebounds | 7 points | 3-of-5 FG
Tyrone Nesby IV –  10 points | 3 rebounds
Jayce McCain – 8 points | 6 rebounds | 4 steals | 3 assists
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Toros' 2-0 lead in the opening minute was the only time CSUDH led in the entire 40 minutes of play.
• The Cougars held CSUDH to just 19 points in the opening 20 minutes – the lowest first-half total by a CSUSM opponent this season – and went into the locker room with an 18-point lead.
• Twelve of CSUSM's 25 rebounds in the first half came on the offensive boards.
• CSUSM shot 36.8% (14-of-38) while the Toros shot just 25.9% (7-of-27).
• The Cougars poured it on in the second half with a 42-22 scoring margin.
• CSUSM took a 43-point lead – it's largest of the game – after a 3-pointer by Chase Bowsher put the Cougars up 79-36 with 4:38 to play.
• CSUSM was 17-of-32 (53.1%) from the floor in the second half while holding CSUDH to 7-of-29 (24.1%).

 
FAST BREAKS

• Now 6-0, CSUSM continued its best-ever start as an NCAA member.
• This was CSUSM's second 38-point win in the last three games as the Cougars last did it against then-No. 24/9 Point Loma on Nov. 20. 
• The 38-point margin of victory tied the Cougars' record for largest-ever win against an NCAA Division II institution.
• The last time CSUSM held its opponents to less than 20 points in the first half was on Jan. 23, 2020 at Sonoma State (28-19).
• The win tied the Cougars' record for consecutive home wins in the Division II era at six. CSUSM last won six straight home games its first year as an NCAA member in 2015-16.
• This was just the second time that CSUSM has started CCAA play at 2-0. The Cougars last did so in 2015-16.
• The win snapped the Cougars' three-game losing streak against the Toros and knotted the all-time series at 5-5.
• CSUSM's 17 assists, 46 rebounds and 17 offensive boards were all season highs.
• The Cougars ended the game shooting 44.3% (31-of-70) while putting the Toros in their place at 25% (14-of-56).
• CSUSM scored 22 points off turnovers while also scoring 22 second-chance points.
• Thirty-five of the Cougars' 79 points came off the bench.
• The Cougars and Chico State (6-0) are the last remaining CCAA teams without a loss this season.
• McCain's four steals brought his career total to 78 and now rank as the third most in program history. His three assists moved his career total to 114, and he's now in a three-way tie for the eighth most at CSUSM.
• Seits is now just three 3-pointers away from becoming the fifth Cougar in program history to eclipse the century mark.
• Gil-Fernandez's 10 rebounds tied his career high for the third time.
• This was CSUSM's first-ever victory as a ranked team in the Division II era.
• CSUDH's 41 points were the fewest-ever by a CSUSM opponent in the Division II era.

 

Head Coach BJ Foster breaks down the 38-point win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/OIwZuOWy5X

— CSUSM Men's Basketball (@CSUSM_MBB) December 3, 2021

UP NEXT
The Cougars will cap off a seven-game homestand with their final home game of the calendar year against Cal State East Bay (3-5, 1-1 CCAA) on Saturday at 3 p.m. The CSUSM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will hold a toy drive benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos. All fans in attendance who bring one new, unwrapped and still-in-the-box toy will receive free admission.