With their backs against the wall, Chico State's men's basketball players came out scrapping. The Wildcats outfought visiting UC San Diego for rebounds and out-battled the Tritons for loose balls. And with the game on the line, they thoroughly outplayed them over the final seven-plus minutes for a critical 66-56 victory Thursday night at Acker Gym.
 
Chico State's senior trio led the way. Corey Silverstrom scored a game-high 15 points and pulled down a career-high nine boards, Jalen McFerren finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Ellis added 13 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Wildcats' ferocious effort kept their hopes for a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship and NCAA Championship Tournament at-large berth alive. They are now 17-6 overall and 14-5 in the CCAA.
 
UC San Diego, which began the night in a three-way tie with the Wildcats and Cal State San Marcos for second place in the CCAA, fell to 16-9 overall and 13-6 in conference.
 
Chico State and Cal State San Marcos will meet Saturday night at Acker Gym in a game with huge CCAA and NCAA Tournament implications. Ellis, Silverstrom, and McFerren will be honored during a Senior Night ceremony prior to the game. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
Thursday night was equally important. The Wildcats were not ranked among the top 10 in the first NCAA West Region rankings of the season, which will eventually determine the five at-large berths for the NCAA Tournament. Their shortage of quality wins is the likely culprit.

 
This week's schedule afforded them a chance to change that narrative. Cal State San Marcos is ranked No. 8 in the West, thanks in part to a 65-47 thumping of Chico State on Jan. 5. UC San Diego entered the weekend No. 5 in the West thanks in part to a 73-50 blowout of the Wildcats on Jan. 6 in La Jolla.
 
The Wildcats played like a team determined to return the favor. Chico State outrebounded UC San Diego 39-26, allowing only five offensive rebounds in the process. And just six weeks after allowing the Tritons to shoot 51 percent from the field in their first meeting, the Wildcats' defense limited UC San Diego to 39 percent shooting. The Tritons' four leading scorers—Christian Oshita, Christian Bayne, Scott Everman, and Anthony Ballestero—were averaging a combined 52 points per game entering the night. Thursday, they combined for just 32. None of them reached their season average.
 
The defensive effort was especially vital because of the Wildcats' own shooting struggles. Chico State hit just 42 percent of its shots, but its lock-down defense down the stretch secured the win.
 
Bayne's triple with 7:50 remaining capped a 9-2 Tritons run and gave them their last lead of the night at 51-50. It would be another three minutes before UC San Diego scored again. By then, the Wildcats led 60-51.
 
Justin Briggs converted a three-point play to reclaim the lead. Ellis hit a jumper on the next offensive possession. Silverstrom banked in a 3-pointer to beat the shot-clock buzzer and bring the third straight Acker Gym crowd of 1,300-plus to its feet. Ellis put a bow on the 10-0 push with a driving bucket with 4:44 to go that put the Wildcats up 60-51.
 
The Tritons got back to within six twice. Briggs brought down an offensive rebound and scored it while falling onto his back the first time. Silverstrom sank two free throws the second time.
 
Ellis and Silverstrom have now scored 1,237 career points apiece to move into a three-way tie for eighth with former teammate Robert Duncan on Chico State's all-time scoring list.
 
Meanwhile, McFerren moved up two more spots on the career rebounding list to join Ellis in the top 10.  
 
Saturday night's showdown will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Links to the online radio broadcast, stats, and the video stream are available in the calendar section on our homepage and on the men's basketball schedule page.