Box Score
HAYWARD -- Cal State San Bernardino's defense scored 25 points off turnovers Thursday night en route to an easy 79-42 pasting of CCAA conference newcomer Cal State East Bay in the Pioneers' gymnasium.
Junior point guard Corey Caston led the Coyotes with 13 points, five assists and a pair of steals while forward Bryan LeDuc had 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Coyotes maintained their lead in the CCAA at 10-2, 12-4 overall. CSUSB was ranked No. 4 in the first NCAA Division II West Region poll released Wednesday.
The Pioneers were never in it, trailing 39-14 at the half and allowing the Coyotes to score at will in the second half, ballooning the lead to 40 points with 3:47 left in the game. East Bay, coming off two wins in their last three CCAA outings, is now 5-12 overall and 2-10 in the conference.
Steve Gaston scored nine points off the bench. Seniors Devon Davis and Greg Williams combined for 14 points and 13 rebounds in the low block. Reserve guard Donnell Fleming had his best night of the season with seven points in nine minutes of playing time.
The Coyotes shot 45 percent for the game (30 of 66), 32 percent from the three-point line (nine of 28) and made 10 of 11 free throws (91 percent).
Mark Samuels led the Pioneers with 13 points and a game-high four steals. Jacob Noisat was the team's leading rebounder with six.
It was the first time this season that CSUSB has held an opponent under 50 points. CSUSB won the first meeting in Coussoulis Arena, 77-53, on Dec. 5.
The Coyotes take on UC San Diego at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night at RIMAC Arena in La Jolla. The game will be broadcast live on KCAA 1050-AM and webcast at csusbathletics.com. CSUSB won the first meeting, 73-57, on Dec. 6.
NCAA WEST REGION TOP 10 (as of Jan. 27, 2009) -- in-region record)
1. Seattle Pacific (13-2); 2. Western Washington (13-2); 3. Alaska Anchorage (7-2); 4. COYOTES (12-4); 5. Dixie State (12-3); 6. Humboldt State (12-4); 7. Montana State Billings (7-5); 8. BYU-Hawaii (7-4); 9. Central Washington (7-5); 10. Cal Poly Pomona (7-4).