CHICO – After getting through finals week, the Chico State men's basketball team snuck in one last non-conference game against the NAIA's Simpson at Acker Gym Tuesday on the eve before going into the Christmas Holiday break.
 
Though the matchup was treated more of a workout, Evan Oliver appeared to have different thoughts as the junior scored a season-high 19 points in the Wildcats' 85-55 win over the Red Hawks.
 
The win also erases a sour taste of defeat to Cal State San Marcos 10 days earlier and go into the NCAA's mandatory break with a 7-2 overall record.
 
Oliver ended his day going 7-for-14 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw lane. Kelvin Wright Jr. had a dozen points and seven rebounds, Joshua Hamilton scored 11 points and sophomore Max Walters, coming off the bench, shattered his career-mark in rebounding with a dozen.
 
The Wildcats finished the game hitting 47.2 percent of their shots while making 12-of-21 from the charity stripe.
 
Simpson was held to 32.3 percent in shooting, and no one reached double figures in points. Sam Shields had eight points but had a dozen boards.
 
Chico State had led for the entirety of the game. It was a 3-point basket by Isaiah Kerr with 13:32 left in the first half that gave the Wildcats a double-digit lead. The Wildcats maintained that large lead and took a 40-21 score into halftime. Oliver had a dozen points in the opening period.
 
The Wildcats had led by as many as 31 points, when it was 71-40 just past the halfway point of the second half.
 
Following a well-deserved break to visit family, the Wildcats return to campus to resume CCAA play on New Year's Eve against Cal Poly Humboldt. Tipoff at the conclusion of the women's game at 3 p.m.