SAN BERNARDINO – The Chico State men's basketball team's fans have gotten a bit spoiled over the past few seasons as the team has won two straight California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) titles, three in the past five seasons, and qualified for five straight NCAA Championship Tournaments.
 
But none of those teams accomplished what the 2016-17 Wildcats did Friday night with an 80–67 win at Cal State San Bernardino. By improving to 13-2, the Wildcats became just the second Chico State men's basketball team to win at least 13 of its first 15 games–and the first since 1941.
 
Those 1940-41 Wildcats started 13-2 as well and didn't lose their third game until their 21^st game of the season.

 

Corey Silverstrom scored a Wildcats season-high 25 points Friday, Robert Duncan chipped in 21, and Jalen McFerren matched his career-high with eight assists, as Chico State improved its conference mark to 6-1.
 
Though the Wildcats never trailed after the opening minutes of the game, the victory did not come easy. They were tied 50–50 with 9:10 left before McFerren made a 3-pointer and had two assists during an 11-2 push that put the Wildcats in control of the game.
 
Silverstrom, Duncan, and Isaiah Ellis combined to make 10 straight free throws over the game's final 4:06 to salt the win away.
 
It marked the sixth double-digit win during the team's current seven-game win streak. The Wildcats boast an average margin of victory of 20 points per game during that stretch.
 
Chico State led by as many as 11 in the first half as Silverstrom sank 6-of-8 shots on the way to 15 first-half points.
 
But the Coyotes (6-5, 2-4 CCAA) made their last two shots of the first half and six of their first seven shots of the second half to tie the game at 43.
 
After the Coyotes scored five straight to re-tie the game at 50, Chico State's offense re-asserted itself, scoring on 13 of its final 16 possessions.
 
That was certainly a welcome sight for Head Coach Greg Clink, who had seen his team play three straight overtime games against the Coyotes, and four in the past five meetings.  
 
The Wildcats have won six straight and 11 of their last 12 against the Coyotes after losing 24 times in the first 30 meetings between these programs.
 
Silverstrom and Duncan combined to shoot 14-of-23 from the field and 17-of-19 from the line.
 
Ellis finished with eight points, and his two blocked shots bring his career total to 50 as he moved into 10^th on the program's career blocks list.
 
Justin Briggs' four blocks give him 36 this season, the most by a freshman in the program's history, and the seventh most in any single season. He also had five points and seven rebounds.
 
Chico State, which has won 43 of its last 44 games when scoring 80 or more, will face Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills next Friday and Saturday in Acker Gym, where the Wildcats have won a conference best eight straight. Tipoff for each game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.