SAN MARCOS—In a season full of impressive wins, the 11^th-ranked Chico State men's basketball team captured one of its biggest yet Saturday, beating 14^th-ranked Cal State San Marcos at the Sports Center behind a superb defensive effort and clutch finish. The Wildcats held the Cougars to 20 points below their scoring average and five below their lowest total of the season in a 63-57 win to move to 17-3 overall and 13-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Cal State San Marcos fell to 15-4 overall and 11-4 in the CCAA.
 
Malik Duffy scored a game-high 23 points for the Wildcats, including a runner in the lane off a perimeter drive with 1:19 to go that snapped a 4-0 skid and stretched Chico State's lead back to four and a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left that helped seal the win. Kelvin Wright Jr. blocked a shot on the Cougars' possession following Duffy's bucket and grabbed an offensive rebound—his game best 12^th of the day—on Chico State's next trip, leading to Kevin Warren's free throws that stretched the lead to six with 28 seconds left.
 
Warren scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half as Chico State exerted control of a game that they trailed for much of the first half. Hamilton finished with 13 points and a career-high nine boards. 
 
Warren scored the first five points of the second half as Chico State snatched the lead for keeps. The Cougars cut it to two later in the half before Colby Orr hit three free throws and Evan Oliver railed a 3-pointer to kick the lead back up to six. A few minutes later, Hamilton hit a 3 and the Wildcats had their largest lead at 47-39 with eight minutes to play. 
 
The lead was back down to two before Duffy drained a free throw and fed Warren for a 3-pointer for a six-point cushion, and with 3:31 to go, Hamilton hit two free throws to make it a six-point game once again. Cal State San Marcos scored the next four points before the Wildcats closed the door.
 
The win avenged Chico State's first loss of the season, which came in overtime against Cal State San Marcos, lengthened the Wildcats' edge in the race for second place in the CCAA to a game and a half, and kept the pressure on first-place Cal State San Bernardino, which leads the Wildcats by a half game heading into its final home game against Cal Poly Humboldt Saturday night. Entering the week, Cal State San Bernardino (which the Wildcats have handed their only two losses of the season) stood atop the NCAA's regional rankings, followed by Cal State San Marcos and Chico State. Updated rankings will be released Wednesday.
 
Chico State will wrap up the regular season at home next week against Cal State Dominguez Hills Thursday and Cal State East Bay Saturday. Cal State San Bernardino will play at San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay. 
 
Every Chico State men's basketball is broadcast locally on AM-1290 KPAY. Links to streaming audio, video on the CCAA Network (with audio for home games), and live stats are available at www.ChicoWildcats.com in the calendar section of the homepage and on the men's basketball schedule page. 
 
Fans planning to attend this week's Chico State games with campus health and safety protocols here: Chico State Attendance Policy