Box Score SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota – The Chico State men's basketball team's tremendous NCAA Tournament run came to an end in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Wednesday night at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
 
The Wildcats stunted high-scoring Lincoln Memorial University for most of the night, and despite having their own struggles on the offensive end, were tied at 54 with eight minutes to play. But a Railsplitters squad seeking its second straight trip to the title game made the big plays down the stretch to beat the Wildcats 74–61.
 
"I want to start by giving (Lincoln Memorial) a lot of credit. They are a very talented and well-coached team," said Chico State Head Coach Greg Clink. "The bottom line is that we failed to execute. I felt like we were right there in a good spot without playing well. We were ready to play but we didn't execute like we needed to (in order) to beat a team at this level. We were capable of playing better than that. That's what's hard. We didn't play to our potential."
 
Chico State missed eight straight shots after tying the game on a Justin Briggs layup, and Lincoln Memorial methodically pulled away.
 
The Wildcats finish the season 26–8, with a program record for wins in a season.
 
Robert Duncan delivered 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds to pace the Wildcats in his final game in a Chico State uniform. Isaiah Ellis had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Silverstrom scored 10 points. And Chico State's other senior, Michael Bethea, Jr., stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds, an assist, a blocked shot, and a steal in 21 strong minutes off the bench.
 
Duncan wraps up his collegiate career with 1,237 points (8^th in school history), 289 assists (5^th), and 152 steals (3^rd). He and Deon Robinson are the only players in the history of the program to eclipse 1,000 points, 200 assists and 100 steals. He also became the 16^th Wildcat to hit 100 career 3-pointers Wednesday night.

 

"He's one of the all-time greats to ever wear a Chico State uniform. I'm so proud of the player he's grown into," said Clink. "Now the important stuff. Robert is one of the most competitive, loving, giving, honest, and genuine human beings I have ever had the opportunity to be around. He came to Chico State as a kid, wide-eyed and talented. The biggest thing is he was coachable. The human being and the man he has become is amazing. There is no doubt that whatever he decides to do after he graduates this spring he is going to be as great at it as he was when he wore a Chico State uniform. I've told him this many times, but I love him. I love him like he's my own kid."
 
"I love you too, coach," Duncan replied.
 
The unranked Wildcats made a magical run to the West Region title as the No. 6 seed, knocking off the three top seeds. Chico State was again the No. 6 seed in the Elite Eight. But it was Lincoln Memorial that had the tricks up its sleeve in Sioux Falls.
 
Railsplitters' All-American Luquon Choice scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half while LMU was outrebounding the Wildcats by 10. The Splitters finished the game with a plus-13 rebounding edge. Chico State entered the game as one of the top rebounding teams in the nation.
 
Chico State led 7–2 early and by as many as six in the first half before missing nine straight shots. Bethea, like he did so many times this season, got them out of the funk. He buried a 3-pointer and then zoomed coast-to-coast for a layup. The Wildcats went to the break down just one.
 
Lincoln Memorial, the Elite Eight's No. 3 seed after winning a share of its fifth straight South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Regional titles, briefly pulled ahead by five early in the second stanza. But Duncan railed a pair of 3-pointers to help Chico State draw even.
 
The first 12 minutes of the second half featured seven ties and six lead changes. The Wildcats' offense was looking better, but their defensive effort declined.
 
"We started trading baskets with them," lamented Clink.
 
Then the Wildcats went cold, going a full six minutes between made field goals. Lincoln Memorial broke the deadlock with a 15–1 run.
 
It marked the end of the line for the Wildcats, who won the program's second ever West Region title just nine days prior.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of this group. We accomplished more than I think we anticipated," said Clink. "We kept getting better throughout the year. I'm just really proud of the guys and what they brought every day and their willingness to be coached."
 
Duncan summed up his time with the program deftly.
 
"I've grown to love these guys as brothers," he said. "That's been the biggest thing for me–being with good people and playing good basketball."
 
The Wildcats won two West Region and two CCAA titles in Duncan's tenure.
 
Good basketball indeed.
 
NCAA Championship Elite Eight Schedule (all times Pacific)
Sioux Falls, S.D. – Sanford Pentagon
Wednesday, March 22 (All games streamed on NCAA.com)
10:00 a.m. – #1 Fairmont State 86, #8 Rollins 68
12:30 p.m. – #4 Bellarmine 92, #5 Colorado School of Mines 72
4:00 p.m. – #2 Northwest Missouri State 79, #7 St. Thomas Aquinas 70
6:30 p.m. – #3 Lincoln Memorial 74, #6 Chico State 61

Thursday, March 23 (Both games on CBS Sports Network. No streaming option)
4:00 p.m. – #1 Fairmont State (33-2) vs. #4 Bellarmine (32-3)
6:30 p.m. – #3 Lincoln Memorial (30-5) vs. vs. #2 Northwest Missouri State winner (33-1)

Saturday, March 25 (Broadcast on CBS. No streaming option)
12:00 p.m. – Championship Game