CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State men's basketball team completed another season sweep, securing their second win of the season over Cal State Monterey Bay. Similar to the last matchup between the Wildcats and the Otters, this game came down to the wire. With just over a minute remaining, JoJo Murphy connected with Trae Taylor on a lob, pushing the Wildcats' lead to six and putting the game out of reach.
In a gritty, low-scoring contest, the Wildcats comfortably closed out the victory, improving to 13-3 in CCAA play and 17-5 overall. Meanwhile, the Otters suffered another tough loss, dropping to 3-13 in conference and 6-15 overall.
Murphy and Cortevious Taylor led the charge offensively. Murphy recorded a game-high 18 points, knocking down four three-pointers, while Cortevious Taylor provided a key spark off the bench with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Trae Taylor dominated the paint, contributing 12 points on 62.5% shooting while grabbing eight rebounds.
Chico State jumped out to an early 11-point lead just five minutes into the game but entered halftime up by only three.
Much like the first half, the second half remained a back-and-forth battle. With the Wildcats leading 59-55 at the four-minute mark, Murphy drained back-to-back jumpers before throwing the decisive lob to Trae Taylor. Chico State's defense stepped up during this critical stretch, allowing them to secure the win.
Defense proved to be the difference-maker, as the Wildcats held the Otters to just 34.4% shooting in the second half and 20% from beyond the arc for the game.
The Wildcats also dominated the rebounding and free-throw battles. They outrebounded Monterey Bay 38-26 and were nearly flawless at the line, hitting 12 of 13 free throws, compared to the Otters' 5 of 7.
Next up, the Wildcats embark on their longest road trip of the season, a pivotal test as they remain second in the CCAA standings behind Cal State Dominguez Hills, with first place still within reach. With four of their final six games on the road, this stretch will likely be the Wildcats' toughest challenge of the season.
The road trip kicks off in the Bay Area, where Chico State will face San Francisco State.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Main Gym in Don Nasser Family Plaza.
