SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (0-3) suffered a 75-62 loss in its home opener against No. 11 Point Loma (2-2) on Friday night at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Camren Pierce – 15 points | 6 assists | 4 rebounds | 2 steals
Max Tengan – 13 points | 2 assists
Mike Pope – 11 points | 2 rebounds | 1 steal
Edwyn Collins – 8 points | 8 rebounds | 3 steals | 2 assists
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• PLNU led the entire first half, taking its largest lead with 13:41 remaining after a pair of free throws by Dhal to make it 15-7, concluding a 7-0 run.
• The Cougars then posted their best run of the half with a 3-pointer by Jack Schultz and a Tengan layup to cut the deficit to 15-12 with 10:40 remaining in the period.
• PLNU once again took an eight-point lead at 24-16 as Tyce Paulsen drained a 3-pointer with 7:30 left in the half.
• Down 29-23, CSUSM posted a 6-1 run and cut the deficit to 30-29 heading to the half with a pair of threes by Pope and Pierce.
• The Cougars shot 36.7% (11-of-30) from the field in the first half while the Sea Lions came in at 34.5% (10-of-29).
• Tengan was tied for the game lead in points after 20 minutes with nine.
• CSUSM took its first lead of the game at 34-33 on a 3-pointer by Charlie Henderson with 17:26 remaining in the game.
• The Cougars took their largest lead of the game at 43-35 as Schultz made a layup off a Sea Lion turnover with 13:09 to play.
• PLNU then scored 13 unanswered points to go up 48-43 with 9:10 remaining.
• An old-fashioned 3-point play by Collins cut the deficit to 48-46 with 8:48 to play, but the Cougars came no closer to the Sea Lions lead as PLNU eventually took its largest lead of the game at 16 points on a pair of free throws by Zack Paulsen with 1:13 left to make it 75-59.
• The Sea Lions shot 51.9% (14-of-27) in the second half while the Cougars came in at 37.9% (11-of-29).

 
FAST BREAKS

• PLNU led the game in shooting at 42.9% (24-of-56) while CSUSM finished at 37.3% (22-of-59).
• Pierce led the Cougars in scoring at 15 points while the Sea Lions' Zack Paulsen had a game-high 20 points.
• PLNU outrebounded CSUSM, 46-27, and had 11 offensive boards.
• The Cougars committed fewer turnovers at 16-10 while recording more steals at 9-4.
• At 34 points, over half of CSUSM's points came from its bench.
• PLNU had 15 second-chance points while CSUSM had none.
• The Cougars scored 12 points off the Sea Lions' 16 turnovers.
• The Sea Lions had the lead for 32:01 while the Cougars had it for 6:39.
• CSUSM's 12 assists and nine steals were season highs.
• Pierce's six assists and Collins' three steals were the most by a Cougar this season

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will conclude its home-opening weekend by facing startup program Stanton (0-5) on Sunday at 2 p.m. in The Sports Center.