Box Score Box Score: Coyotes 71, Cal Baptist 69

ONTARIO -- It took 39 minutes for the Coyotes to earn a lead in their game Monday night against Cal Baptist. And all that mattered in the end was that one-minute lead held up.

CSUSB fought back throughout its game against the Lancers and pulled out a 71-69 victory before a crowd of 450 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in the first-day of play at the Coyote Holiday Classic.

The Coyotes won their fourth consecutive game and improved to 4-1 overall heading into Tuesday's game against Azusa Pacific. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m.

This was a night where the Coyotes were well adept at turnovers, forcing 15 steals and outscoring the Lancers, 26-8 on turnovers.

Led by Brian Goins' 15 points, the Coyotes scored the game's final seven points in the final 1 minute and 56 seconds. Down 69-64 with 2:07 remaining, a Goins free throw and senior Kwame Alexander's dunk brought CSUSB to within two – 69-67 with 1:39 left.

After CBU's Anthony Cosentino missed a 3-pointer, Coyotes' senior Johnny Bell raced down court on an outlet pass from Joshua Gouch. The Moreno Valley native caught the ball, drove to the basket and made a layup and was fouled.
Bell converted the three-point play and CSUSB held its first lead of the game 70-69 with 1:08 left.

CBU's Ivan Patterson had the ball stolen by Gouch, who fed the ball up court to Goins. The Concord native worked the clock to 20 seconds left before putting up jumper that was off.

Alexander gathered the rebound and was fouled with nine seconds left. After two CBU timeouts, Alexander hit the second of a two-shot foul and the Lancers had a chance to go ahead or tie.

With 2.8 seconds left, CBU inbounded the ball and Cosentine drove inside the lane for an attempted layup that was short to end the game.

Alexander had 14 points in his first appearance this season. He also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 22 minutes.

Goins had five steals and Gouch had 11 points with four steals.

Junior Lacy Haddock also had 11 points with four assists and two blocks.

The Coyotes' 15 steals marked their most in a game in three seasons and for the first time in coach Jeff Oliver's 11 seasons, the Coyotes had their fourth consecutive game with fewer than 10 turnovers. They finished with nine.

CSUSB looked to get back into the game on an impressive 8-0 run that took place in just 18 seconds. A three-point play from Alexander set the tone and upon CBU's inbounds play, Goins stole the ball and drove in for a layup.
 
Goins earned another steal on CBU's next play and fed to sophomore Jamari Simmons,who buried a 3-pointer from the deep left corner to tie the game at 50-50 with 12:27 left.

But CBU responded and led by as many as seven on three different occasions including its final at 66-59 with 4:22 left.

The loss was CBU's first in seven games this spring. Cosentino scored a game-high 17 points.