IRVINE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men’s basketball team capped off its second and final exhibition game of its 2023-24 schedule with a 75-57 loss at UC Irvine on Friday night at the Bren Events Center.
TOP PERFORMERS
Charlie Henderson – 14 points | 6 rebounds | 2 assists | 4 3FG
Camren Pierce – 11 points | 3 rebounds | 2 steaks
Edwyn Collins – 11 points | 5 rebounds | 2 blocked shots
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUSM got on the board first with a 3-pointer by Henderson.
UCI took its first lead with a free throw by Justin Hohn to make it 11-10 at the 15:08 mark in the first half.
The Cougars retook the lead at 19-18 with a 5-0 run on a Jack Schultz 3-pointer and a Pierce pull-up jumper with 11:07 to go in the period.
Back-to-back buckets by the Anteaters’ Devin Tills and Bent Leuchten put them back on top at 22-19 with 9:35 left in the half.
After another 3-pointer by Henderson put CSUSM within two at 26-24 with 5:50 to play in the period, UCI closed out the period on an 18-3 run to take a 44-27 lead to the locker room.
The Anteaters shot 59.3% (16-of-27) in the first half while the Cougars clocked in at 30% (9-of-30).
Henderson led all first-half scorers with nine points, all coming from 3-pointers.
UCI continued the run out of halftime break with a driving layup by Andre Henry to make it 46-27 with 17:54 remaining in the game.
The Anteaters took their largest lead of the game with 8:42 remaining on a step-back jumper by Pierre Crockrell II to make it 63-42.
The Cougars cut the Anteaters’ lead to 16 at 73-57 on a turnaround jumper by Collins with 49 seconds remaining, but UCI’s Ben Egbo went 2-for-2 at the charity stripe to put the Anteaters back up by 18 in the game’s closing seconds.
CSUSM shot better than UCI in the second half at 38.2% (13-of-34) compared the Anteaters’ 34.4% (11-of-32).
FAST BREAKS
CSUSM ended the game shooting 34.4% (22-of-64) while UCI went 45.8% (27-of-59).
Henderson led all scorers with 14 points.
The Anteaters outrebounded the Cougars, 47-33.
UCI had one more assist than CSUSM at 11-10.
The Cougars outblocked the Anteaters, 5-1.
Both teams tallied seven steals while CSUSM’s Luc Krystkowiak led the contest with three steals.
This was the first-ever meeting between CSUSM and UCI.
UP NEXT
With its two exhibitions out of the way, CSUSM will officially open the 2023-24 season by facing Concordia University Irvine in the CCAA/PacWest Conference Challenge in La Mirada on Friday, Nov. 10 on the campus of Biola University.
