Zach Graves saw the Chico State men’s basketball team’s postseason hopes heading the wrong direction. So the senior responded with perhaps his best game of the season to set the Wildcats up for a wild ride over the final four games of the regular season. Graves consistently got to the rim and recorded season highs of nine points and three assists to lift the Wildcats to a 60-56 win at UC San Diego Saturday night. He’s been named Wildcat of the Week for his efforts.
Graves also chipped in four rebounds and a steal against the Tritons, a team he’s feasted on throughout his three-year Chico State career. He’s averaged 12.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a steal per game in his career against the Tritons, leading the Wildcats to five wins in a row in the series.
Graves kept the Wildcats close during Saturday’s sub-par first half. After starter Sean Park went to the bench with two early fouls, Graves gave the team 13 critical minutes and seven points, four rebounds and a pair of assists.
After starting the second half on the bench, Graves entered the game with the Wildcats trailing 36-60 with 16:32 left and made an immediate impact. A little more than two minutes after assisting on Jay Flores’ 3-pointer, he drove to the hoop for a layup that gave the Wildcats the lead. And his steal with six minutes to play as the Wildcats clung to a two-point lead resulted in a Terence Pellum free throw that sparked a 6-0 run that put the Wildcats up eight with less than five minutes to play.
Graves also keyed a solid defensive effort throughout the game as the Wildcats limited UC San Diego to just 56 points while forcing 16 turnovers.
