History has been building all season inside Pioneer Gymnasium. Now, the next chapter is set to unfold on the biggest stage yet.
For the first time in 38 years, the Cal State East Bay Pioneers men's basketball will host the NCAA Division II West Regional, earning the opportunity after completing one of the most remarkable seasons the program has ever seen.
The Pioneers punched their ticket in emphatic fashion, defeating Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks men's basketball 80–63 to capture the program's first-ever CCAA Tournament championship. The victory capped a dominant conference tournament run and pushed East Bay's record to a perfect 30–0. The two teams will square off again in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, slated to start on Friday.
Leading the way in the championship game was tournament MVP
Jaayden Bush, who poured in 23 points.
Tyree Campbell, the conference's Player of the Year, added 11 points and knocked down timely three-pointers as the Pioneers pulled away in the second half.
The season has been historic from the start. East Bay completed a perfect 22–0 run through conference play, the first team in CCAA history to finish the league schedule undefeated in a 22-game slate, before continuing the run through the conference tournament.
Just one year removed from an 11–17 season, CCAA Coach of the Year
Bryan Rooney has guided the Pioneers through one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the country. Along the way, East Bay has climbed to No. 2 in the national rankings and become the only undefeated team remaining in NCAA Division II men's basketball.
Now, the reward for that remarkable run is coming home.
When the NCAA West Regional tips off in Hayward, Pioneer Gymnasium will host postseason basketball at the national level for the first time in decades. The Pioneers last hosted and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1988, making this year's berth and the chance to host a landmark moment for the program.
The regional field brings together champions and contenders from across the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, setting the stage for a highly competitive bracket in Hayward.
The #2 seed in the West Region goes to GNAC Champions Saint Martin's (25-5) who will face #7 Hawaii Pacific (18-11). PacWest Champions Point Loma (25-5) secured the #3 seed and will take on #6 Northwest Nazarene (18-10). The final match up of the quarterfinals will pit #4 Alaska Anchorage (21-10) against #5 Cal State Dominguez Hills (22-8).
All eight teams will converge on Pioneer Gymnasium for three days of postseason basketball starting on Friday, with the regional champion advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
COMPLETE NCAA DII BRACKET
