TURLOCK, Calif. — Cal State East Bay carried its unbeaten season deeper into January Saturday afternoon, controlling the game from start to finish in a 71-57 victory over Stanislaus State at Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena. The Pioneers never trailed, built steady separation in both halves and pushed the longest winning streak in program history to 16 games while improving to 16-0 overall and 10-0 in CCAA play.
Playing with poise from the opening tip, East Bay set the defensive tone early and turned it into productive offense in the first half. The Pioneers gradually stretched the margin and went up by double figures for the first time at the 3:39 mark when Matt Williams calmly knocked down a pair of free throws for a 36-25 lead. Stanislaus State answered with a late push, trimming the deficit as the half wound down, but Ramsey Huff halted the momentum with a timely 3-pointer in the closing seconds, sending East Bay into the locker room ahead 42-30.
The Pioneers (16-0, 10-0 CCAA) wasted little time reasserting control coming out of halftime. Jaaden Bush opened the second half with a strong finish at the rim before Tyree Campbell followed by converting three free throws on the next possessions, stretching the lead to 47-30. Stanislaus State briefly steadied itself, but East Bay continued to deliver in small, decisive spurts. A smooth jumper from Terence Haywood at the 9:49 mark pushed the advantage to 60-39 and reflected the Pioneers' ability to score against set defenses.
East Bay's defense ensured the margin never slipped into danger. The lead ballooned to as many as 22 points with 3:16 left, as the Pioneers continued to generate stops and force turnovers. Stanislaus State closed the game by scoring the final eight points, but the outcome was long decided, and East Bay walked off with the 71-57 win to remain the lone unbeaten team in the conference.
Campbell led all Pioneers with 14 points, finishing 5-for-12 from the floor and adding three free throws. Huff was the only other East Bay player in double figures, scoring 10 points, including the key 3-pointer before halftime. Bush pulled down a team-high six rebounds, while Joshua Ijeh added a block to give him 20 on the season, tied for most in the CCAA. Bush and Maxwell McCall each recorded three steals as part of a strong defensive effort.
East Bay finished with a 45.0 percent shooting mark compared to 41.5 percent for Stanislaus State. The Warriors held a slight edge on the boards, 38-35, but the Pioneers compensated with relentless pressure, piling up 12 steals on the afternoon. The performance pushed East Bay's season total to 160 steals, tops in the conference. Through Saturday's action, the Pioneers hold a two-game lead in the CCAA standings at 10-0.
"Great effort by our guys tonight," Cal State East Bay head coach Bryan Rooney said. "I loved the connectivity we showed. We are very excited to play in front of our fans next week."
Cal State East Bay returns home for its next test, hosting Cal State San Marcos on Thursday, January 22. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward, with the Pioneers looking to keep their perfect season intact in front of the home crowd.
