SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men’s basketball team (4-5, 4-1 CCAA) capped off a perfect weekend at home with a 72-60 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay (2-6, 0-3 CCAA) on Saturday afternoon at The Sports Center.
TOP PERFORMERS
Jayce McCain – 16 points | 2 rebounds | 3-of-4 3FG | 7-of-8 FT
Joel Mensah – 16 points | 8 rebounds | 1 blocked shot
Donovan Watkins – 11 points | 3 rebounds | 3-of-3 3FG
Quinn Denker – 10 points | 5 assists | 4 rebounds
Zack Perlstein – 10 points | 6 assists | 5 rebounds
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mensah scored CSUSM’s first eight points and put up a layup off a CSUMB turnover to cut the Cougars’ early deficit to 12-8 at the 14:35 mark.
Trailing 15-8, the Cougars scored eight unanswered points with 3-pointers by Watkins and Denker before capping it with a Perlstein jumper at 11:27 of the first half to make it 16-15.
The opening half featured nine lead changes and seven ties with CSUSM coming out on top to end the first 20 minutes at 33-32.
Mensah led CSUSM with 12 points and Denker contributed 10 points in the first half.
The Cougars shot 50% (5-of-10) from behind the arc to the Otters’ 41.7% (5-of-12), but Monterey Bay had the edge overall from the field at 47.6% (10-of-21) to CSUSM’s 42.4% (14-of-33).
After the lead changed four times to begin the second half, Watkins tied the period up for the third time with a 3-pointer to make it 52-all with 6:43 to play.
Following Watkins’ 3-pointer, CSUSM never let go of the lead again as it took its largest lead of the game at 68-54 on a pair of free throws by McCain to cap a 16-2 run with just over two minutes to go.
A second-chance layup off a Cougar turnover by CSUMB’s Jared Williams cut the Otters’ deficit to 10 at 68-58 with 43 ticks left.
CSUSM kept its double-digit lead to finish the game with a 12-point victory.
FAST BREAKS
CSUSM tallied a season-high 21 assists for the second consecutive game while CSUMB had eight.
The Cougars posted season highs in made free throws (16) and rebounds (36).
CSUSM posted a season-low five turnovers as CSUMB racked up 14.
The Otters shot 38% (19-of-50) from the field while the Cougars checked in at 37.7% (23-of-61).
From beyond the arc, CSUSM was 10-of-22 (45.5%) while CSUMB came in at 8-of-20 (40%).
McCain and Mensah led CSUSM in scoring for the first time this season as each finished with 16.
Mensah’s 17 field-goal attempts were a career high.
Chase Bowsher racked up a career-high six rebounds.
The Cougars are now 8-3 in the all-time series and are 5-1 when playing the Otters at home.
CSUSM’s 4-1 start to CCAA play is tied for the second best in program history. The Cougars started conference play last season at 5-0 and began 2017-18 at 4-1.
Of the Cougars’ four wins this season, three have been by 12-plus points.
Head Coach B.J. Foster joins @JonathanRifkind to recap the Cougars’ 72-60 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay. #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/v7qdiV4aVN
– CSUSM Men’s Basketball (@CSUSM_MBB) December 11, 2022
UP NEXT
The Cougars will close the calendar year by facing Seattle Pacific in its final non-conference game of the season on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. in The Sports Center.
