HAYWARD – The Chico State men's basketball team is hoping to be on a roll entering the postseason. The Wildcats were certainly the jam on Friday. Chico State won its third straight by double digits, beating Cal State East Bay 78–66 in Pioneer Gymnasium.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 15-point lead in the first half and led by as many as 22 in improving to 21-6 overall and 14-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
 
Ranked No. 5 in the West Region entering the weekend, Chico State beefed up its NCAA Championship Tournament resume in the process. The Wildcats will wrap up the regular season Saturday night at Cal State Monterey Bay at 7:30 before hosting a first-round game in the CCAA Tournament Tuesday at 7 p.m.
 
Cal State East Bay used an 18–4 run to close the gap to single digits midway through the second half. But the Wildcats steadied the ship. Robert Duncan made two big buckets in the final 2:26 and dished to Isaiah Ellis for the dagger dunk with 17 seconds to play.

 

Wildcats freshman Justin Briggs threatened career highs in both scoring and rebounding, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds. Duncan scored 14 points and grabbed four steals, moving past former teammate Jordan Semple into third on the program's career steals list. He now has 142. With 1,152 career points, Duncan also moved into 11^th in career scoring and needs 13 more points to pass former teammate Amir Carraway into 10^th.
 
Jalen McFerren finished with 13 points and five rebounds, knocking down all eight of his free throw attempts. Ellis added 12 points and six rebounds.
 
Chico State outscored Cal State East Bay 19–2 over a seven-minute stretch late in the first half to take control of the game. Briggs scored three straight buckets during the stretch, and Corey Silverstrom, Nate Ambrosini, and McFerren each hit a 3-pointer.
 
The Pioneers got within five with 8:38 to play but Briggs hit a jumper in the paint and Silverstrom sank a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats some breathing room.