HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (1-9, 1-3 CCAA) began the new year on a high note as it earned a 68-66 road win at Cal State East Bay (4-7, 2-3 CCAA) on Thursday night at Pioneer Gymnasium.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Micah Boone – 21 points | 6 rebounds | 1 steal
Dexter Stratton – 17 points | 8 rebounds
Keavie Love – 14 points | 5 assists | 5 steals | 4 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM jumped out to a 19-10 with a 14-0 run over a span of 3:25. Keavie Love capped the run with a 3-pointer at the 13:05 mark of the first half.
• Up 26-20, four consecutive free throws by Donovan Watkins and Will Harris gave the Cougars their largest lead of the half at 30-20 with 8:48 remaining.
• The Pioneers went on an 11-2 run and cut the deficit to 32-31 with two free throws by Teiano Hardee with 4:29 left in the period.
• With 1:57 to play in the half, East Bay took its first lead since the 14:53 mark on a Blessing Nwotite free throw at 38-37.
• A 3-pointer by Kyelin King with 1:08 left in the half sent CSUSM to the locker room with a 40-38 lead.
• The Cougars shot 54.2% (13-of-24) in the first period while holding the Pioneers to 35.7% (10-of-28). CSUSM also had the rebound lead at 17-14.
• CSUSM took an 11-point lead on a pair of Love free throws to go up 56-45 with 9:42 remaining.
• With the Cougars maintaining a 58-47 lead, the Pioneers rallied with a 17-6 run and tied the game at 64-all on a Ramsey Huff layup with 3:30 on the clock.
• Micah Boone gave CSUSM the lead at 66-64 on a layup following a timeout with 1:31 to go.
• The Pioneers tied it once again at 66-66 on a Beril Kabamba steal and layup with 29 seconds remaining.
• With regulation coming to a close, Dexter Stratton grabbed an offensive board and made a second-chance layup with three ticks remaining to give CSUSM a 68-66 lead.
• Following a CSUEB timeout, the Pioneers missed a last-second layup and handed CSUSM its first win of the season.
• The Cougars hung on despite shooting 34.6% (9-of-26) from the field in the second half while the Pioneers came in at 42.3% (11-of-26).

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM ended the game shooting 44.9% (22-of-49) while CSUEB finished at 38.9% (21-of-54).
• The Cougars won the rebound battle at 34-31 and had more blocks (6-0), but the Pioneers had the edge in assists (10-8) and steals (9-8) while committing fewer turnovers (15-18).
• This was CSUSM's first win at Cal State East Bay since Jan. 11, 2018, snapping a five-game road skid against the Pioneers.
• CSUSM improved its lead in the all-time series to 11-6 and broke up East Bay's three-game winning streak in the series.
• Love's five assists and steals were the most by a Cougar this season.
• Boone's game-leading 21 points were just one off his career high set on the road at East Bay last season.

 
UP NEXT
The Cougars will conclude the weekend on the other side of the bay at San Francisco State on Saturday at 3 p.m.