The Chico State men's basketball team displayed the fight Head Coach Greg Clink was surely asking for in rallying from 11 points down in the second half to tie the game, but the Wildcats could not get over the hump in a 74-70 loss to San Francisco State Thursday night at Acker Gym.
With the loss, the Wildcats fell to 9-13 overall and 8-13 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and were officially eliminated from postseason contention. San Francisco State took a big step toward earning a first-round CCAA Tournament home game, improving to 17-9 overall and 13-8 in the CCAA.
Chico State will wrap up its 2018–19 campaign Saturday night against Sonoma State. The careers of seniors Nate Ambrosini, Keith Datu, and Marvin Timothy will be celebrated prior to the game, which is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m.
Chico State's bench played a big role in the comeback. Calvin Geraci, Joshua Curls, Josh Lavergne, and Spencer LaShells combined for 16 second-half points.
That foursome scored 14 of Chico State's 16 points during a long stretch in which they trimmed that 11-point lead from early in the second half to 57-54 with 4:49 remaining.
Timothy's steal that led to a three-point play on the other end knotted the score at 57 just 13 seconds later, bringing the crowd and the Chico State bench to its feet.
Josh Lavergne knocked down a pair of second-
half 3-pointers to help the Wildcats come from
11 points down to tie the game.
But Timothy was whistled for a foul on the ensuing Gators possession and picked up a technical while protesting the call. That gave him five fouls and marked the end of his night.
San Francisco State used that spark to build the lead back to eight with 2:31 remaining, but Chico State was not done fighting. A pair of Kevin Warren free throws and an Ambrosini three got them within three, and Warren's triple with 42 ticks left got them within two.
Isaiah Brooks' steal gave the Wildcats a chance to tie or take the lead, but he missed a twisting layup, and then after an offensive rebound, Warren misfired on a 3.
After Ryne Williams' free throw, Warren drove in for a layup to get the deficit down to one with eight seconds to play. But after the Gators made a pair of free throws, they smartly fouled Brooks with just two seconds remaining. He made the first and missed the second on purpose, but Williams corralled the rebound, was fouled, and made a pair of charities to salt the game away.
Warren finished with 17 points, Brooks 12, and LaShells 11 to lead the Wildcats. Timothy turned in a 9-point, 7-rebound, two-block, two-steal performance in just 21 minutes.
