Chico State Athletics

RIVERSIDE – The Chico State men's basketball team didn't exactly start its season the way it wanted to, falling behind 43–25 early in the second half at Concordia University Irvine. But the Wildcats finished their first game where they hoped to–in the win column.
 
Chico State, ranked No. 11 in the nation, outscored the Eagles 40-18 down the stretch to open its season with a 65–61 win on the first day of the CUI Tournament.
 
Preseason All-American and reigning California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year Robert Duncan scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to lead Chico State's comeback.
 
The Wildcats had already cut the lead to 14 on a pair of Duncan free throws when he blocked a shot on one end and then buried a 3-pointer on the other to make it 44-33 with 14:47 to play. That capped a 7-1 run, and suddenly, the Wildcats were back in the game.
 
"We put so much emphasis on defense, because when you play good defense, it creates opportunities for your offense," said ninth-year Chico State Head Coach Greg Clink on the AM-1290 KPAY postgame show. "They were the aggressors in the first half and I really didn't feel like we were matching them in terms of defensive effort. Once we ratcheted things up defensively, the tone of the game totally changed."
 
Duncan, for one, is a believer.
 
"Defense. Defense, defense, defense," was his reply when asked about what the team learned from Friday's first-game. "Just believe in the defense. Defense is going to be what wins you a championship."
 
Redshirt freshman Justin Briggs was a difference maker in his collegiate debut, finishing with 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting, nine rebounds, and five blocked shots. His five blocks, all of which came during the Wildcats' comeback, are the most by a Chico State player in the Clink era.
 
Isaiah Ellis and Jalen McFerren combined for 21 second-half points after neither scored in the first stanza.   

 
The Wildcats trailed 35–21 at the half, and after scoring a quick bucket coming out of the locker room, committed four quick turnovers and got on the wrong end of an 8–2 run before Clink called a timeout.
 
Chico State responded by limiting the Eagles to 6-for-19 shooting and just one offensive rebound after that. The 6-foot-9, long-armed Briggs was a big reason why, blocking five of those shots and making others more difficult. They also outrebounded Concordia 17–6 during the decisive run.
 
The Wildcats hit 12-of-18 shots and 18-of-21 free throws after the break. In the entire second half, the Wildcats scored on 21 of their 25 trips down the floor when they didn't turn it over.
 
Chico State seemed to be over the turnover bug that terrorized it for most of the game. Duncan hit a jumper in the lane to break the game's final tie with 2:32 remaining and then Corey Silverstrom found Ellis inside for a bucket to make it 60-56 with 1:37 left.
 
Then the Wildcats' final two turnovers nearly cost them the game. Concordia cut the lead to three with a free throw before Silverstrom's giveaway led to a breakaway bucket that cut it to one. Another quick turnover, this one from McFerren, gave the Eagles a chance to take the lead, but Briggs' fifth blocked shot kept Chico State ahead.
 
Ellis was fouled with 29 seconds left and hit both free throws before Concordia again cut the lead to one. McFerren made 1-of-2 free throws on the next trip. Briggs battled fiercely for the loose ball after McFerren's miss, and Concordia knocked it out of bounds with 11 seconds left.
 
Duncan sealed the deal by hitting two free throws with nine ticks to go.
 
The Wildcats made the first basket of the game 18 seconds in, and then made just four more field goals over the next 13-plus minutes while falling behind 26-10.
 
They trailed by as many as 17 in the second half. Duncan's 3-pointer just before intermission made it 35-21.
 
Silverstrom bounced a strike to McFerren on a backdoor basket to open the second half, trimming the deficit to 12. But the Wildcats turned it over four times in the next two minutes and Concordia built its largest lead of the day at 43-25.
 
Duncan and the Wildcats were nearly perfect after that.
 
GAME NOTES–The Wildcats have won seven straight season openers…Duncan's lone steal was the 89^th of his career, moving him into sole possession of 10^th in program history, and knocking Mark Rasberry, Tony Prescott and Josh Jackson from the top-10 list…The Wildcats are now 10-3 against PacWest teams in Greg Clink's era, including 6-1 away from home…Transfer Michael Bethea, Jr.'s four rebounds were just one shy of his season-high last season at Grambling State. Bethea also finished with six points and a steal in his Wildcats debut…Chico State will face NAIA No. 4 Biola Saturday at 1 p.m. Biola (5-0) came from behind to beat CCAA side Cal State San Marcos 65-61 in the second game of the tournament behind Chris Archer's career-high 37 points.