HAYWARD, California—Behind Justin Briggs' best game of the season and a trio of big runs, the Chico State men's basketball team came from behind to beat Cal State East Bay 77–65 Saturday night in Hayward.
Briggs scored 18 points (one off his career high) and matched his career high with 11 rebounds as the Wildcats won their 12
th straight against Cal State East Bay, and seventh in a row at Pioneer Gymnasium.
Chico State, ranked No. 21 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, is now 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Cal State East Bay, which had won four of five entering Saturday night's game and coming off an impressive win at Western Washington Tuesday, dipped to 5-6 overall and 2-4 in the CCAA.
Corey Silverstrom scored a team-high 19 points and spurred the game's decisive 12–0 push. After scoring on a drive, the senior grabbed a rebound and passed ahead to Isaiah Brooks for a fast-break bucket. He drove and kicked to Nate Ambrosini for a 3-pointer on Chico State's next possession, and on the other end of the floor, pulled down a rebound, looked ahead, and found Isaiah Ellis breaking out for another score. After Briggs hit two free throws, Silverstrom capped the run with a free throw that gave the Wildcats a 69–53 advantage with 5:17 to play.
Corey Silverstrom scored three points and
assisted on three baskets during the game's
decisive 12-0 run.
That was the last of three runs of 10–0 or better for the Wildcats.
Silverstrom tacked on five rebounds and matched his career-best with four steals.
Jalen McFerren finished with 17 points in his final game back home. The Castro Valley High School product 3-pointer with 8:43 to go in the first half sparked a 26–3 run during which he scored 11.
Cal State East Bay had built a 27–14 lead following a 9–0 run of its own.
Briggs' layup on Chico State's first second-half possession preceded a Silverstrom jumper that stretched Chico State's lead to 40–30.
Cal State East Bay cut the lead for four before the Wildcats responded with a 10–0 push, capped by two Briggs buckets, sandwiched around his two free throws.
The Pioneers made one last push as Druce Asah scored on a drive before hitting 3s on three straight possessions over a 66-second span. It was a solo 11-0 run, and just like that, the lead was down to three.
Patrick Marr scored inside on the Pioneers' next possession to cut the lead to one.
Malik Duffy stemmed the tide with a triple, and hit another one the next trip down to give the Wildcats some breathing room.
The lead was four when Silverstrom went to work.
The Wildcats will wrap up 2017 with three straight home games: a non-conference showdown against Simpson on Dec. 19, and conference games against Cal State L.A. on Dec. 29, and Cal State Dominguez Hills Dec. 31.
