PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The season of dreams for the Cal State East Bay Men's Basketball came to an end on Wednesday at the Elite 8. The Oklahoma Baptist Bisons came away with the 78-55 win at the UMPC Fieldhouse on the campus of Duquesne University. 

The Pioneers came out hot in the first half, led by Jaayden Bush, who tallied four points and two rebounds in the game's first four minutes. The defense held Oklahoma Baptist to 2-for-7 shooting before the first media timeout, leading to a 9-4 lead with 16:01 left in the first half. 

The Bison answered with a 8-2 run to take an 12-11 lead with 13:58 to play in the opening stanza. The Pioneers counter punched with back-to-back three pointers by Payden White and Takai Emerson-Hardy to give East Bay a 17-12 advantage with 12:08 remaining on the first half clock. 

Oklahoma Baptist put together a 9-0 run to regain a 23-17 lead. After a bucket by Bush, the Bison strung together another run (7-0) to go on top by 11 points. East Bay trimmed the deficit to eight on an old fashioned three-point play by Bush with 7:25 remaining in the opening half. 

The game was decided over the next few minutes, as Oklahoma Baptist closed the half on a 18-6 extended run to lead by 20 at the half, 48-28. 

The teams essentially traded baskets in the early moments of the second half before East Bay closed the margin to 17 on a basket by Joshua Ijeh with 10:14 to play in the game. East Bay again trimmed the lead to 17 at the 6:55 mark on a Ramsey Huff field goal. However, the Pioneers would draw no closer. 

Bush was the Pioneers lone double-figure scorer with 17 points. Ijeh had a strong afternoon as well with eight points and 12 rebounds. 

Cold shooting largely doomed the Pioneers, connecting on 20-77 shots (26%) for the game. 

Interjected between the postgame tears was the pride of knowing this team brought Cal State East Bay Men's Basketball back to prominence. These Pioneers set the single-season school records for wins, longest winning streak and highest winning percentage. These Pioneers completed the first ever 22-0 run through the CCAA. These Pioneers' No. 2 national ranking, is a new high-water mark. These Pioneers were the last undefeated team remaining at any level of NCAA men's basketball. These Pioneers advanced to the Elite 8, further than any team before it. 

East Bay ends the season at 33-1 and will next begin the offseason program.