The Chico State men's basketball team was firing on all cylinders Wednesday during its home opener against Dominican University. Everything the Wildcats threw up—jumpers, 3-pointers, layups, free throws—more often than not tickled the twine. The 'Cats shot a blistering 59.3 percent from the field, and with five players scoring in double figures, Chico State had little trouble in disposing of the visiting Penguins with a 92-53 win at Acker Gym.
The 'Cats' third straight win moved Chico State to 3-1 on the young season. Dominican fell to 1-5 overall.
Isaiah Ellis posted 13 points vs. Dominican, and became just the 17th
player in Chico State history to score 1,000 in a career.
Corey Silverstrom turned in a monster performance, scoring a team-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point line. Silverstrom also dished out a career-high seven assists while pulling down four rebounds. Justin Briggs posted 14 points to go along with seven boards.
Isaiah Ellis racked up 13 points on the night, and in the process became just the 17th player in the program's history to post 1,000 career points. He reached the lofty milestone with a pair of free throws with 2:45 remaining in the first half.
Marvin Timothy was a perfect 6-for-6 shooting on the way to a career-high 13-point night. Jalen McFerren added 11 points while hauling in a team-high eight rebounds.
The game was back-and-forth through the opening minutes of the first half, but a McFerren trey put the Wildcats up 10-9, and Chico State would never relinquish the lead. Dominican pulled to within 25-20 with just under nine minutes remaining in the period, but Chico State used a 15-7 run—highlighted by a Josh Lavergne 3-pointer, Ellis's historic free throws and multiple buckets by both McFerren and Silverstrom—to go up 40-27. The Penguins hit a pair of free throws to close out the half, and Chico State went into intermission with a 40-29 advantage.
The Wildcats slowly pulled away in the second half, with a Briggs layup pushing the lead to 20 at 64-44. With the score 67-48, Chico State officially put the game away, holding Dominican to just one field goal over the next five minutes. Silverstrom led a 15-2 run with his fifth 3-pointer of the night, with Isaiah Brooks and Calvin Geraci each draining a 3-ball down the stretch. The 'Cats would eventually score 50 points in the period, and roll to the 92-53 victory.
The Wildcats will enjoy a brief Thanksgiving respite before jumping back into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action Saturday at Acker Gym versus the Warriors of Stanislaus State. Play gets underway at 7:30 p.m.
