SAN RAFAEL, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay men's basketball team suffered their first defeat of the 2018-19 season in a tough road game to Dominican University on Tuesday night, November 20 in the Conlan Center. The Pioneers narrowly fell to the Penguins by a final score of 56-53.
 
With the loss East Bay moves to 4-1 on the season as they head into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play this upcoming weekend.
 
The Pioneers battled back from a eight-point halftime deficit but struggled from three-point range and at the foul line. East Bay shot a season low 6.7% (1-for-15) from beyond the arc and 28.6% (4-for-14) from the free throw line. The Pios also tied a season low with 40% shooting from the field although they did connect of 43.3% of their field goals in the second half.
 
Junior Ant Navarrete (San Lorenzo, Calif.) lead East Bay with game-high 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field. Navarrete added five rebounds, three steals and a block. He has scored in double figures through all five games this season.
 
The Pioneers defense stiffened up in the second half of action as they forced the home team Penguins to just 9-for-28 (32.1%) shooting from the floor after going 13-for-23 (56.5%) in the opening half of play. East Bay also forced Dominican into 19 turnovers that accounted for 14 points for CSUEB.
 
Senior point guard Juwan Anderson (Oakland, Calif.) compiled eight points to go along with four rebounds, two steals and an assist through 31 minutes of action. Evan Wardlow (Lake View Terrance, Calif.) chipped in six points, five rebounds, one steal and an assist.
 
Cal State East Bay held the points in the paint battle, 40-34 over Dominican, but it was the Penguins that outrebounded the Pioneers 41-34 for the contest. The Pios scored 12 second chance points, 12 fast break points and garnered 15 points from their reserves.
 
Junior Trent Warren (Melbourne, Australia) paced the CSUEB reserves with seven points through 15 minutes on the floor. Warren also knocked down the Pioneers lone three-pointer. Justin Vigil grabbed a team-best seven rebounds in only seven minutes off the bench. He also scored two points. Pattick Marr (Clayton, Calif.) notched four points and four rebounds while Nai Carlisle also added four points, three steals two assists and a rebound.
 
The Pioneers will open CCAA play with a home matchup against Cal State San Marcos on Saturday afternoon, November 24 at 3:00 p.m. in Pioneer Gymnasium.