Cal State men surge past Chico State 75-57
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Cal State San Bernardino men's basketball coach
Jeff Oliver admits he's a hard man to please. But his Coyotes are doing
better. The Coyotes won their third straight game, upending Chico
State 75-57 in CCAA play Saturday at Coussoulis Arena.
The win moved the Coyotes into a tie for first place as both UC San
Diego and Monterey Bay, who were atop the standings at the start of
the night, lost their respective games.
Oliver had been openly critical of his team's lack of hustle and
intensity in the first eight or so games. But the Coyotes (5-5, 3-1)
have made progress in both those areas.
``We're playing in spurts,'' he said. ``Our bad stretches are
getting shorter but we still have to many of them. But our intensity is
getting better. When we execute and have a high energy level we can
be a pretty good team.''
Early in the season the Coyotes struggled getting out of the gate.
This time that wasn't a problem as the host team led by as many as 16
in the opening half, with a layup off a steal by Tim Denson giving
Cal State a 31-15 lead with 3:16 left.
But the Wildcats (4-7, 1-3) finished the half with a 6-1 run and
started the second with an 8-0 spurt, getting in striking distance on
a bucket by Andy Bocian that made it 32-29.
``It wasn't really what they were doing,'' said Lawrence Tyson,
who scored 18 points. ``We lost our intensity and focus and let them back
in the game.''
That stretch was the most worrisome for Oliver.
``We had a chance to bury them and really take the wind out of
their sails,'' he said. ``We could have really separated ourselves and we
didn't do it.''
Cal State regrouped in the middle of the second half and finally
got some breathing room. Up 47-43, the Coyotes reeled off eight straight
points, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Tyson that made it 56-43 with
6:46 left.
The lead ballooned back to 15 at 60-45 on a pair of Tyson free
throws. The closest the Wildcats would get after that was seven at
62-55.
The Coyotes put the game away at the line with Tim Denson hitting
four in a row that gave Cal State a 72-57 cushion in the closing
minute.
Brandon Brown finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, one short
of his fourth straight double-double. Tyson was next followed by Denson
with 13. He also collected six assists.
Cal State shot 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the field and held
Chico to 36.5 (23-for-63). Cal State won the boards 39-32.
`` We just had to get back in rhythm,'' Brown said.``We just let
them back in. But then we came back and stepped on them again.''
The Coyotes will square off against local rival Cal Poly Pomona
(6-3, 2-2) Thursday at Coussoulis Arena. The Broncos turned back Cal
State Stanislaus Saturday.
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Cal State San Bernardino men's basketball coach
Jeff Oliver admits he's a hard man to please. But his Coyotes are doing
better. The Coyotes won their third straight game, upending Chico
State 75-57 in CCAA play Saturday at Coussoulis Arena.
The win moved the Coyotes into a tie for first place as both UC San
Diego and Monterey Bay, who were atop the standings at the start of
the night, lost their respective games.
Oliver had been openly critical of his team's lack of hustle and
intensity in the first eight or so games. But the Coyotes (5-5, 3-1)
have made progress in both those areas.
``We're playing in spurts,'' he said. ``Our bad stretches are
getting shorter but we still have to many of them. But our intensity is
getting better. When we execute and have a high energy level we can
be a pretty good team.''
Early in the season the Coyotes struggled getting out of the gate.
This time that wasn't a problem as the host team led by as many as 16
in the opening half, with a layup off a steal by Tim Denson giving
Cal State a 31-15 lead with 3:16 left.
But the Wildcats (4-7, 1-3) finished the half with a 6-1 run and
started the second with an 8-0 spurt, getting in striking distance on
a bucket by Andy Bocian that made it 32-29.
``It wasn't really what they were doing,'' said Lawrence Tyson,
who scored 18 points. ``We lost our intensity and focus and let them back
in the game.''
That stretch was the most worrisome for Oliver.
``We had a chance to bury them and really take the wind out of
their sails,'' he said. ``We could have really separated ourselves and we
didn't do it.''
Cal State regrouped in the middle of the second half and finally
got some breathing room. Up 47-43, the Coyotes reeled off eight straight
points, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Tyson that made it 56-43 with
6:46 left.
The lead ballooned back to 15 at 60-45 on a pair of Tyson free
throws. The closest the Wildcats would get after that was seven at
62-55.
The Coyotes put the game away at the line with Tim Denson hitting
four in a row that gave Cal State a 72-57 cushion in the closing
minute.
Brandon Brown finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, one short
of his fourth straight double-double. Tyson was next followed by Denson
with 13. He also collected six assists.
Cal State shot 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the field and held
Chico to 36.5 (23-for-63). Cal State won the boards 39-32.
`` We just had to get back in rhythm,'' Brown said.``We just let
them back in. But then we came back and stepped on them again.''
The Coyotes will square off against local rival Cal Poly Pomona
(6-3, 2-2) Thursday at Coussoulis Arena. The Broncos turned back Cal
State Stanislaus Saturday.
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