HAYWARD, Calif. — On a charged Saturday evening inside Pioneer Gymnasium, No. 2 Cal State East Bay closed out its historic regular season with a 58-51 win over UC Merced, sealing an undefeated 28-0 campaign and a perfect 22-0 mark in CCAA play. On a night that began with Senior Night honors for 10 members of the program, the Pioneers delivered one last surge of late-game brilliance to finish the regular season without a blemish.
Honore prior to the game for East Bay were Tyree Campbell, Jalen Foy, Ramsey Huff, Ipreye Igbe, Joshua Ijeh, Maxwell McCall, Matthew Villanueva, Payden White, Matthew Williams and manager Vito Sales.
East Bay set the tone early, pushing ahead by nine in the first half, punctuated at the 13:54 mark when a steal turned into a layup for a 16-7 advantage. UC Merced refused to back away, flattening the margin and briefly slipping in front twice by a single point. But each Bobcat push was met with a poised Pioneer response. With 6:01 left in the first half, Terence Haywood muscled in a layup that shifted momentum back to Cal State East Bay (28-0), which would not trail again. In the closing minute, Amare Campbell knifed to the rim for a driving finish, giving the Pioneers a 37-32 halftime lead and energizing the home crowd.
The second half stayed tight, the margin rarely stretching beyond two possessions. Yet the Pioneers never relinquished control. The decisive turn arrived with 3:24 remaining, when Tyree Campbell slipped through traffic for a layup that ignited a six‑point run. East Bay's defense immediately turned the screws, forcing consecutive turnovers that fueled the burst. Moments later, Amare Campbell jumped a passing lane, raced the other way and delivered a precise feed to his brother Tyree for a dunk that sent the gym into a roar—an emphatic stamp on the regular-season finale and the final separation needed in a 58-51 victory.
Tyree Campbell led all scorers with 21 points on an efficient 10-for-14 shooting night and added a team‑high seven rebounds. The Pioneers collected four steals each from Amare Campbell and Ramsey Huff, helping swing key possessions late. Rebounds finished even at 32 apiece, while East Bay shot 37.3 percent from the floor compared to UC Merced's 35.8 percent.
"Tonight was incredible. So proud of our guys for doing what they have done all year in times of adversity – stick together!" head coach Bryan Rooney said. "An undefeated regular season is something none of us will ever forget. It also provides motivation as we head into the postseason to keep playing as long as we can. We are excited to keep creating memories together."
Cal State East Bay now turns its attention to the postseason, where it awaits either Cal State Monterey Bay or Cal Poly Pomona in the CCAA Tournament semifinal. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, March 6, at Kellogg Arena in Pomona, California.
