Box Score
POMONA, Calif. - Down by as many as 20 points in the second half, the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team held Cal State Dominguez Hills scoreless across the final 10 minutes of regulation. With the Kellogg Gym crowd on its feet, the Broncos stormed back to upset the nationally-ranked Toros, 49-43.
Kevin Menner led CPP with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, a performance that featured one acrobatic play after another that the CSUDH defense couldn't stop.
The Broncos improve to 12-7 overall and 9-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Toros, eighth in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 poll and second in the most recent NCAA West Region rankings, were handed just their third loss of the season and fall to 17-3 overall and 13-3 in conference play.
CPP avenged its loss earlier in the season to CSUDH, a victory that came in a similar comeback fashion for the Toros on Dec. 3 in Carson. Saturday's rally for the Broncos proved to be more monumental, as CPP erased a 20-point deficit and finished the contest on a 22-0 run that stretched 10 minutes.
Although a
Mark Rutledge three-pointer put the Broncos ahead to start Saturday's game, CSUDH quickly took over the lead and stretched it to double digits less than 11 minutes into the contest. CPP shot just 1-for-10 from beyond the arc in the first half as the Toros took a 33-19 advantage into intermission.
CSUDH opened the second half with a James Cawthorne three-pointer, which initiated a 6-0 Toros' run to put the visitors ahead by 20. The Broncos worked the margin down to 14 with a layup by
Mitchel Anderson at the 10:35 mark. On the next possession, a successful layup from Cawthorne would be the last points for eighth-ranked CSUDH.
CPP started its run by hitting free throws, with Menner,
Matt Rosser and
Tobias Jahn hitting two each during the early part of the stretch. Menner came up with clutch offensive rebounds inside and solid putbacks despite Toros' pressure.
Jahn, who battled CSUDH's seven-foot center Amir Aguilar most of the night, put together an inspirational performance amid the physical play. He totaled six points and five rebounds, with most of his stats collected at clutch moments.
Booker also helped to rally the Broncos and the senior from San Bernardino, Calif., totaled seven assists to match his career high. He also registered six points and five rebounds.
CPP broke through for a 44-43 lead with 2:05 to play after Anderson sunk a pair of free throws. It was the first lead for the Broncos since they led 3-2 with just two minutes gone in Saturday's game. Once ahead again, CPP wasn't looking back.
Two CSUDH players finished in double figures, with Marcquintice Davis picking up 15 points while Cawthorne added 11 of his own.
The score marked the first time since 1985 that the two teams both scored under 50 points in a game involving CPP. The last occurrence came on Feb. 22, 1985 in a 40-37 loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The Broncos continue their homestand next weekend with contests against Humboldt State and Sonoma State.
