HAYWARD, Calif. - In a tightly contested CCAA matchup, the Cal State East Bay men's basketball team secured a hard-fought 69-65 victory over San Francisco State on Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Gymnasium heading into a holiday break. The Pioneers withstood a late surge from the Gators to claim their second conference win of the season.
 

GAME SUMMARY

East Bay established control early, building an eight-point lead midway through the first half. However, SF State kept pace, briefly taking the lead before the Pioneers regained the advantage. Cal State East Bay entered halftime with a 38-33 edge.

The home team extended their lead in the second half, pushing it to as much as 13 points with 7:27 remaining. The Gators mounted a comeback, narrowing the gap to just two points in the final minute. With the score 67-65 and only 18 seconds left, SF State had a chance to tie or take the lead. However, Tyree Campbell's clutch steal and breakaway dunk in the closing seconds sealed the 69-65 victory for Cal State East Bay.

NOTABLE STATS

• Ramsey Huff led the Pioneers with a game-high 18 points, shooting an efficient 6-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
• Campbell contributed 16 points and made the game-clinching play. Teiano Hardee added 12 points, including three crucial 3-pointers, while Beril Kabamba rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
• The Pioneers' defense played a significant role in the win, forcing 14 turnovers and recording 13 steals. Maxwell McCall was particularly disruptive with four steals.
• Cal State East Bay also won the rebounding battle 33-30.
• The Pioneers showcased their shooting prowess, connecting on 54.2 percent of their field goal attempts compared to SF State's 41.5 percent.

POSTGAME QUOTE

Cal State East Bay head coach Bryn Rooney following Sunday's win:
"Huge win for us heading into the break. The balance of having four guys in double figures was a key to our offensive attack and our activity on the ball defensively made an important impact to seal the game."

Rooney added:
"Our group has made some very important strides the last two weeks. It is extremely important we come back ready to go and continue the momentum."
 

RECORDS

Cal State East Bay: 4-6, 2-2 CCAA
SF State: 3-7, 1-3 CCAA
 

UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY

Cal State East Bay will look to build on Sunday's victory when they host Cal State San Marcos in their next CCAA contest. The game is scheduled for Thursday, January 2, 2025, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward, California.