SAN BERNARDINO -- Balanced scoring helped No. 15 Cal State San Bernardino secure a large first-half lead en route to a 75-57 win over visiting San Francisco State in CCAA basketball Saturday night at Coussoulis Arena.

CSUSB, now 21-3 overall, 18-2 CCAA and the NCAA West Region's top team, guaranteed itself a first-round bye in the CCAA Tournament, set for March 6-8 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. CSUSB and No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona are tied for the top spot in league play and both own a three-game lead over Chico State with two games remaining.

Senior Kirby Gardner led the Coyotes with 16 points and junior Juan Martinez followed with 14 points. The two of them combined for seven 3-pointers as CSUSB outscored its foe 33-9 from 3-point land with six different Coyotes scoring at least one 3-pointer.

Gardner ignited the Coyotes' offense late in the first half and helped CSUSB grab a 40-27 lead at the break.

Leading 28-24 with 3:50 left, Gardner hit all three of his long-distance shots in a little more than two minutes. And when teammate Taylor Statham hit a 3 of his own with 24 seconds left in the half, CSUSB had its 13-point halftime lead.

Defensively, the Coyotes turned up their game in the early second half. They did not allow an SFSU field goal until the 13:02 mark and by then, CSUSB had increased its lead to 52-31 on a Christian Cooper layup with 12:49 left.

CSUSB created 13 steals and accumulated 21 assists leading to 26 field goals on the night.

Lacy Haddock and Statham both had 10 points for the Coyotes, who have now won their last four games and have their most wins in a season since the 2009-10 team won 23.

Statham dealt seven assists and Martinez had four steals.

This week's CCAA player of the Week Andrew Young missed his second straight game after sustaining a foot injury this week in practice.

Derrick Brown led the Gators (12-11, 10-10) with 13 points.