Behind a barrage of 3-pointers and blocked shots, the 5^th-ranked Chico State men's basketball team blasted rival Sonoma State 81-61 Saturday night to move to 8-0. The continued their recent 3-and-D dominance, drilling 17-of-34 triples while Kelvin Wright, Jr. blocked five shots.
 
Kevin Warren led the way with 23 points, Malik Duffy added 19, and Isaiah Brooks scored 17 as the Wildcats improved to 4-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Warren hit 5-of-8 threes, Duffy 5-of-9, and Brooks 4-of-6. Duffy also pulled a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
Ranked No. 5 in the nation in the Division II Media Poll and No. 7 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches entering the weekend, the Wildcats hit 7-of-11 threes over the final 10 minutes of the first half, including three by Duffy in a two-and-a-half minute span, to build a double-digit lead at the half. An 11-0 push midway through the second half sealed the deal. Freshman Evan Oliver sparked the run with an offensive rebound and triple and then fed Brooks on the break for a three-point play (featured in the embedded tweet below). Duffy drilled a long three on Chico State's next possession and on the following possession, found Wright Jr. for a reverse layup. In the span of 85 seconds, the Wildcats turned a 13-point lead into a 67-43 advantage.
 
Beginning with performance at Cal State San Bernardino during which the Wildcats buried a school-record 19 3-pointers, they have now made 45 of 86 threes in their last three games. Brooks, meanwhile, has hit 17-of-25 threes since starting the season 1-of-8. Wright Jr. leads the CCAA in blocked shots and has at least one rejection in each of Chico State's games. The team's 4.38 blocks per game is identical to the 2016–17 team's school-record number.
 
This is the third team in Chico State men's basketball history to win its first eight games. The 1942–43 Wildcats started 10-0 and the 1940–41 team also started 8-0.
 
The Wildcats finished the night one of 11 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II. They'll take that perfect record into their last game before winter break next Saturday night at home against Humboldt State. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. A win against Humboldt would give Chico State 10 consecutive regular season CCAA victories, matching the 2014-15 Wildcats for the most ever.
 
Links to streaming video, audio, and live stats are all available on the schedule page and calendar section at www.chicowildcats.com. The game will be broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. 
 
Please note that all fans (age 12 and older) attending Chico State basketball events must show proof of their fully vaccinated status or a negative COVID-19 test administered by a healthcare professional from within 72 hours of the start of the event. CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION AND ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS.