Box Score HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay men's basketball team defeated visiting Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday night. The game wasn't nearly as close as the 85-82 final score, as the Pioneers (3-3, 2-1 CCAA) led by double-digits most of the way. Ultimately, the team's propensity for tight games this year persisted. Nonetheless, it was a triumphant return to Pioneer Gym for East Bay after four straight road games. The Pioneers led virtually the entire game and received contributions from everyone on the team in their conference home opener. East Bay has now won three straight over the Otters (3-6, 0-3 CCAA) dating back to last year.

The Pioneer shooters were hot in the early going, particularly from long distance. East Bay knocked down 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from three-point range in the first half, while the Otters were just 1-for-11. The Pioneers also out-shot their opponents 41.7 to 34.4 percent from the field in the opening frame.

After sophomore guard Tre Mauldin hit nothing but net on a half-court shot at the buzzer, East Bay took a 43-32 lead into the break. Several players got in the mix offensively, as coach Will Biggs utilized his entire roster. When the teams went to recess, no Pioneer had scored more than seven points, but eight different players had scored at least four.

The Pioneers came out aggressively in the second half as well, quickly extending their lead and forcing an Otter timeout. After senior guard Jason Smith drilled his third three-pointer of the night, they went into the 15-minute media timeout with a 19-point advantage.

The Pioneers cruised for much of the second half and maintained a lead of at least 20 points for more than 10 minutes of game time. Then Cal State Monterey Bay finally caught fire from behind the arc and went on a late run, as Coley Apsay hit five three-pointers. Ultimately their comeback attempt ran out of clock, and the final score was as close as it got.

East Bay shot 43.9 percent as a team and knocked down 11 of 25 three-point shots (44.0 percent). Despite allowing the Otters back into the game, the Pioneers actually improved their shooting percentages across the board from the first half to the second. The team also had its best free throw shooting game of the year, hitting at 72.7 percent, highlighted by Mauldin (7-for-9) and Gabe Kindred (5-for-6).

Mauldin was the high scorer for East Bay with 15 points, to go along with a team-leading three assists. The Lancaster native nearly matched his career-high of 18 points, set last year against these same Otters. Smith, meanwhile, finished off his best game of the season with 13 points and five boards on 4-of-5 shooting.

Kindred was the third Pioneer in double figures with 11 points, while Jacari Whitfield, Jurrell Turner, and Vincent Capellino added nine points apiece. Capellino also drilled three triples on the night to go along with three rebounds. Whitfield set a career-high with seven boards, while committing just one turnover. 

Nick Marshall scored seven points and snagged five boards in 17 minutes. Donovan Jackson kicked in six points and Ryan Hebebrand pulled in five rebounds off the bench for East Bay.

Apsay finished with 17 points as one of three Otters in double figures. Alex Fertig led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-13 from the field, to go along with five boards. Kevin Loustale added 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Cal State East Bay is back in action a week from tonight when the team visits Dominican University in its final non-conference game of the season. After a Holiday break, the Pioneers resume CCAA play with a road contest on Dec. 30 against Cal State Monterey Bay.