IRVINE, Calif. — Cal State East Bay extended its perfect start to the season Saturday afternoon at CU Arena, defeating Concordia University Irvine 68-58 behind a decisive late surge. The Pioneers opened the second half with a 12-0 run and closed the game with another 12 unanswered points to secure their fifth straight win, marking the program's best start since joining the CCAA.

East Bay jumped out to a 7-0 lead early before Concordia responded to take its first advantage at 13-12 with 12:43 left in the first half. From there, neither team led by more than five points as the Pioneers carried a slim 33-32 edge into halftime. Jaayden Bush paced East Bay in the opening frame with 10 points.

The second half began with Tyree Campbell's layup just 16 seconds in, sparking a 12-0 run that pushed the Pioneers ahead 45-32 at the 15:57 mark. Concordia chipped away, trimming the margin to two after Macarhy Morris hit a pair of free throws with 9:01 remaining. The Golden Eagles continued to press and closed within one at 2:37, but Campbell answered with a 3-pointer 27 seconds later to ignite East Bay's 12-0 run that essentially was the defining difference in the game. The Pioneers (5-0) capitalized on turnovers and missed opportunities by CUI during the stretch, sealing the 10-point victory, 68-58.

• Bush led East Bay with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting and added six assists.
• Campbell finished with 13 points, while Jalen Foy contributed 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
• Defensively, Josh Ijeh recorded two steals and a block.
• The Pioneers shot 52.1 percent from the field and held a 34-23 rebounding advantage, while Concordia shot 38.5 percent.

"Extremely proud of our effort tonight," said Cal State East Bay head coach Bryan Rooney. "We have great respect for Concordia and we knew it was going to be a battle for 40 minutes. Brand new season starts Thursday with the beginning of conference. We have great challenges in front of us."

Cal State East Bay opens CCAA play Thursday, December 4, at San Francisco State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at SFFCU Gymnasium at Don Nasser Family Plaza. The Pioneers will look to carry their hot start into the first of back-to-back games against the Gators.