LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The California State University San Bernardino men's basketball team battled until the final possession Wednesday night but fell just short in a 69–68 CCAA setback to Cal State Los Angeles at University Gym.
With the loss, the Coyotes move to 14-14 overall and 11-10 in conference play.
CSUSB held a narrow 36–35 lead at halftime after a tightly contested opening period that featured 14 lead changes and 16 ties. Freshman guard Zion Paleo (Diamond Bar, Calif.) paced the Coyotes early, scoring nine first-half points, including a pair of three-pointers. Redshirt senior guard Gavin Davis (Carson, Calif.) added six points in the opening 20 minutes, while sophomore forward Pablo Soumare (Dakar, Senegal) controlled the glass with five first-half rebounds.
The second half remained a back-and-forth affair. Paleo finished with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and knocked down a go-ahead three-pointer with 2:53 remaining to give CSUSB a 66–64 edge. Davis added 10 points and four rebounds, while freshman guard Xavier Clinton (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) chipped in 10 points and four rebounds.
Sophomore guard Aidan Fowler (San Clemente, Calif.) delivered in key moments at the free-throw line, finishing with eight points and five assists. Redshirt senior guard Amound Anderson II (Gardena, Calif.) contributed eight points and six rebounds, and sophomore guard Max Zylicz (Gdansk, Poland) added six points off the bench.
CSUSB took a 68–66 lead with 1:17 to play after Fowler converted a pair at the line. Cal State LA answered at the free-throw stripe before the Golden Eagles connected on a three-pointer with three seconds remaining to put the Golden Eagles ahead 69–68.
The Coyotes had one final opportunity, but a contested three-pointer at the buzzer would not fall.
CSUSB finished the night with a 42–33 rebounding advantage and scored 14 second-chance points, but shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from beyond the arc. Cal State LA shot 43.1 percent overall and converted seven three-pointers in the win.
The Coyotes will wrap up the regular season with a contest at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday. Tip-off from Carson is set for 3 p.m.
#GoYotes
