Box Score | POMONA, Calif. - Off to the best start in program history, the sixth-ranked Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2012-13 season Saturday as Cal State San Bernardino captured a 67-63 win at Kellogg Gym.
Despite a career-best 19 points from
Terrence Drisdom and another effective performance on offense by freshman
Jordan Faison, the Broncos' top-ranked defense couldn't keep the Coyotes off the board from three-point range. CSUSB shot 55 percent from long range, going 12-for-22 beyond the arc.
The result drops CPP to second place in the conference standings at 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Coyotes take sole possession of first at 8-1 overall and 6-0 in league play.
The visiting CSUSB squad held the lead for the majority of Saturday's contest but despite the Coyotes holding a seven-point edge at halftime and pushing the margin to as wide as nine in the second period, the Broncos managed to take their own lead late in the contest.
Trailing 52-47 just past the midway point in the second half, Drisdom cut into the lane and dropped in a layup to make it a one-possession game. On CPP's next trip down the floor, Faison knocked down his first career three-pointer to tie the game at 52-52.
Joshua Gouch sank a free throw to return the lead to the Coyotes but
Mitchel Anderson answered with a three-pointer in front of the Broncos' bench to give CPP its first edge since the 7:57 mark in the first half.
The Coyotes played better down the stretch though with Gouch giving a boost to the visitor's offense. In the final two minutes and 30 seconds, Gouch delivered two different three-point plays off jumpers and resulting free throws. The second one put CSUSB's lead at 66-59 with 1:49 to play.
Clutch shots from junior guard
Shannon Sharpe allowed the Broncos to stay within striking distance and the margin closed to 66-63 as the Coyotes regained possession with 45 seconds left. As the shot clock ticked down, Drisdom delivered a key block to give CPP the ball back. A final three-point attempt from Anderson fell off the mark and the Coyotes escaped with the win.
The Broncos shot 46 percent from the floor but went just 13-for-22 at the free throw line for a 59.1-percent mark. Anderson hit three of his 10 shot attempts while being held to seven points, snapping a 24-game streak of finishing in double digits.
Faison finished with 14 points to match his season best. After going 5-for-6 from the field Saturday, Faison now ranks first in the CCAA for field goal percentage with a 68.6-percent mark.
CPP will return to action next weekend with road contests at Cal State Monterey Bay (2-4 CCAA) and Cal State East Bay (3-3).
