SAN BERNARDINO, Calif - The No. 22 CSUSB men's basketball team suffered a defeat at the hands of Cal State San Marcos on Thursday afternoon, losing with a final score of 84-77. This loss brings the Yotes' overall record to 10-4, with a 5-3 standing in conference play.
The Cougars came out strong, scoring 5 points without any response from the Yotes. Trailing 7-2, the Yotes regained their rhythm, scoring five consecutive points through free throws by Evan Guillory and a 3-pointer by Robby Robinson, tying the game at 7-all with 15:37 remaining in the period.
The Yotes claimed their first lead of the game at 17-16 on a layup by Robinson with 10:12 left in the half.Â
In the last three games, Robinson achieved double-doubles, accumulating a total of 61 points and 34 rebounds. After surpassing 1000 career points last week, Robinson achieved his sixth double-double of the season, surpassing his previous record of five from last year. He also shot 3-for-5 (.600) from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 (.750) from the free-throw line.
Tied at 23 at the 6:56 mark of the first half, the Yotes struggled to stop the Cougars' offense. They would go on a 17-4 run to go up 40-27, and took their largest lead of the first half at 43-28 as Pope made a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining.
The Yotes managed to narrow the deficit before halftime with a Guillory layup, making it 43-30.
Evan Guillory posted 12 points in the game, while also making 3 assists and 3 rebounds, all defensive boards.Â
In the second half, CSUSB showed signs of a comeback, reducing CSUSM's lead to four at 49-45 with 12:57 to play after a 15-4 run.Â
Chris Mitchell stepped up, contributing 20 points in the game, with 16 points in the second half. Mitchell showcased perfection from the free-throw line, going 6-for-6, and went 7-for-13 from the field.
Despite the Coyotes' efforts, the Cougars maintained a cushion of four or more points and regained a double-digit lead at 77-66 with 1:53 remaining. CSUSB managed to bring down the deficit to seven points in the final two minutes, but CSUSM secured the 84-77 victory.
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