CARSON, Calif., -- The Pioneer men's basketball team picked up their first win of the Bryan Rooney era with a 70-57 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opening road win Friday night, November 17 against Cal State Dominguez Hills in the Torodome.
 
With the win, the Pioneer improve to 1-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. It is CSUEB's third consecutive season with a conference opening victory.
 
The Pioneers controlled the game from the opening tip. East Bay raced out to an early 14-2 lead and never trailed in the game.
 
Sophomore guard Druce Asah (Tracy, Calif.) turned in the game-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds. Asah went 6-for-12 shooting from the field, including an impressive 4-for-6 from three-point range.
 
East Bay shot a season best 41.2% (7-for-17) from beyond the arc fueled by a 6-for-10 performance in the first half. The Pioneers did it from outside and inside the painted area, outscoring the Toros, 26-10. CSUEB also got great production off the bench to the advantage of 25-21 and led by as many as 19 points early in the second half.
 
Junior point guard Juwan Anderson (Oakland, Calif.) notched a season-best 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the floor along with 2-for-4 from three-point land. Anderson dished out four assists, three steals on 32 minutes of action. He also went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
 
Senior forward Jelani Mitchell (Pasadena, Calif.) was the only other Pioneer to reach double digits providing 10 points and five rebounds in his first game off the bench. Mitchell went 6-for-6 from the charity in 17 minutes on the floor.
 
The Pioneers controlled the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Toros 44-32. East Bay also scored 12 points off 15 turnovers from Dominguez Hills.
 
Senior guard Drew Bender (Phoenix, Ariz.) grabbed a career-best nine rebounds to go with his six points, two assists and one steal in his first start of the season. Junior Deiondre Bird (Portland, Ore.) also got his first start of the season and compiled four points, five rebounds, four assists and a block.
 
Much of the East Bay bench production came from Patrick Marr, Jordan Balser and Keshawn Bruner. Marr added six points and two rebounds on 4-for-4 shooting from the free throw line. Balser chipped in five points, three rebounds and a steal. Bruner put in four points and two rebounds on 2-for-3 shooting from the floor.
 
The Pioneers will complete their CCAA opening road trek when they faceoff against Cal State L.A. on Saturday night, November 18 in the Eagles Nest. Tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m.