SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (4-7, 3-2 CCAA) led wire-to-wire as it celebrated New Year's Eve with a 78-69 victory over Sonoma State (6-5, 2-3) on Sunday afternoon at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Edwyn Collins – 18 points | 7 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 steals
Jack Schultz – 17 points | 5 rebounds | 4 assists
Mike Pope – 15 points | 3 rebounds | 2 assists
Charlie Henderson – 11 points | 13 rebounds | 5 assists | 2 blocked shots
Max Tengan – 10 points | 4 assists | 2 steals
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM began the game with an 11-2 run that was capped by a Schultz 3-pointer off a Sonoma turnover at the 14:28 mark.
• The Seawolves cut the Cougars' lead to 14-10 on a layup by Cameron Barry with 10:56 remaining in the period.
• Back-to-back 3-pointers by Tengan and Schultz put CSUSM up by 20-10 with 9:51 left in the half.
• The Cougars took their largest lead of the half on a 3-pointer by Pope with 5:46 on the clock.
• The Seawolves narrowed the Cougars' lead to 30-25 on a 3-pointer by Andrew Henderson with 2:19 to go in the period.
• CSUSM went to the locker room with a 37-28 lead as Pope led all first-half scorers with 12 points – all coming from 3-pointers.
• The Cougars shot 46.7% (14-of-30) from the field in the first 20 minutes while holding the Seawolves to 38.5% (10-of-26).
• CSUSM made nine 3-pointers in the first half and was 45% out of 20 attempts.
• The Cougars took their largest lead of the game with 46-30 as Henderson made a 3-pointer on a second-chance shot with 18:11 to go.
• SSU cut the deficit to 10 on a Rexford 3-pointer with 10:37 remaining to make it 59-49, but back-to-back 3 pointers by Henderson and Collins put the Cougars back up by 16 with 8:38 left in the game.
• CSUSM maintained its double-digit lead until the final 34 seconds of the contest when SSU's Julian Bryant made the front end of two free throws to conclude the scoring at 78-69.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM ended the game shooting a season-best 48.3% (28-of-58) from the field while Sonoma was marginally worse at 47.2% (25-of-53). The Cougars also shot a season-best 42.1% (16-of-38) from downtown.
• Making 16 3-point shots, the Cougars tied the program's single-game record. CSUSM last accomplished this on Dec. 29, 2017, at Stanislaus State and first did it in a neutral game against McMurry University on Feb. 12, 2015.
• CSUSM won the rebound battle at 34-25 along with more assists at 19-11.
• Both teams tallied nine steals by the Seawolves made fewer turnovers at 16-12.
• Pope's five 3-pointers were the most by a Cougar this season while his 15 points were a career high.
• Henderson's 13 boards were a season high. With his 11 points, he earned his fourth double-double of the year.
• Collins' 18 points tied his career high.
• Schultz's 17 points and four 3-pointers were a career best.
• This was the Cougars' eighth consecutive win against the Seawolves and are now 11-3 in the all-time series.
• This was CSUSM's 10th consecutive game with at least 10 assists.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will begin a four-game road trip by first stopping by Stanislaus State (4-7, 1-4 CCAA) for a 7:30 p.m. game on Jan. 4 in Turlock.