CHICO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino men's basketball team was defeated by the Chico State Wildcats 81-67 on Saturday afternoon at Acker Gymnasium. With the loss, the Coyotes are now 11-6 overall and 4-4 in CCAA play.

The game was a back-and-forth battle early on, with CSUSB taking a 7-5 lead following a jumper by graduate student and former Wildcat Evan Oliver (San Bernardino, Calif.). After the Wildcats held a few brief leads, the Coyotes regained control for much of the first half, leading by as many as seven points on multiple occasions, including a 39-32 advantage after a three-pointer by senior Camren Pierce (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.).

Seniors Evan Guillory (Springfield, Mo.) and Andrew Henderson (Chatsworth, Calif.) were key contributors in the first half, scoring 13 and 12 points, respectively. However, Chico State closed the half with an 8-0 run to take a 40-39 lead at the break.

The game remained tight early in the second half, with CSUSB holding a 44-42 lead after a three-pointer by Henderson. At the 15:02 mark, the score was tied at 46-46, but Chico State went on a 35-21 run over the final 15 minutes to secure an 81-67 victory.

Despite the loss, Nic Welp (Seattle, Wash.) had another strong performance, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Next up, CSUSB travels back home for two games, starting Thursday night when the Coyotes tip off against Stanislaus State at 7:30 p.m.

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