The Chico State men's basketball team opened the 2022–23 season Friday with a challenging matchup against a solid Seattle Pacific squad to kick off the two-day Conference Crossover Challenge in Azusa, and though the Wildcats led by as many as eight points early in the second half, it would be the Falcons that would emerge victorious, outscoring the 'Cats 50-37 over the final 18 minutes to post an 84-79 victory at the Felix Event Center.
Chico State shot the ball well, connecting on nearly 47 percent of its field goal attempts, but scuffled from behind the arc, hitting just five of 20 from downtown. Five Wildcat players scored in double figures—Isiah Holm and Miles Daniels delivered 15 points apiece, while Joshua Hamilton registered 14 points and team highs with eight rebounds and seven assists. Jojo Murphy and Justin Vigil each scored 10 points in their Chico State debuts, but it wasn't enough to offset Seattle Pacific's offense, which shot nearly 52 percent from the field, and a blistering 65.4 percent in the decisive second half.
The 'Cats led through most of the first half, jumping out to a 19-14 lead on the strength of a Holm 3-pointer, two Hamilton three-point plays, and buckets by Hamilton, Murphy, Vigil, and Evan Oliver. Seattle Pacific used a 15-5 run to go out in front 29-24, but Chico State battled back in the final minutes of the opening period, and thanks to a pair of field goals by Daniels, one by Trae Taylor and two free throws by Oliver, the Wildcats caught the Falcons at intermission 32-32.
Chico State opened the second half on a 10-2 run, with Brennan Wheeler draining back-to-back 3-pointers, while Holm and Hamilton dropped in layups to make it a 42-34 contest. The Wildcats were still up six at 46-40 when Seattle Pacific ripped off a 9-0 run to go out in front, and after Vigil tied the game with a 3-ball, the Falcons scored 13 of the next 18 points to build a 62-54 lead with nine minutes to play.
The 'Cats slowly chipped away at the deficit, and a 15-10 Chico State run pulled the Wildcats to within 72-69 with 2:48 remaining. Seattle Pacific pushed its lead back to eight with just one minute left, but the Wildcats kept fighting, converting a pair of inbounds steals into points, making it a 79-76 game with 28 seconds remaining. Three Falcons free throws kept the 'Cats at bay, though Daniels made things interesting by knocking down a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left. That would turn out to be Chico State's last hurrah, though, as Seattle Pacific iced the game with a pair of late free throws to come away with the season-opening 84-79 victory.
The Wildcats conclude the Conference Crossover Challenge Saturday when they face host school Azusa Pacific. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.; fans can follow the action on KPAY Sports 1290-AM, with Mike Baca's broadcast also simulcast on the Internet. Free live streaming video and Live Stats will also be available online; appropriate links can be found on the Wildcats Athletics website home page or the men's basketball schedule page.
