SEASIDE, Calif. – With another dramatic, down-to-the-wire victory, the nationally-ranked Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team has matched its best start in program history.  After a 74-68 win over the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters on Sunday, the Broncos now hold a flawless 9-0 record complete with a 3-0 mark in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
 
The only other time CPP has put together a 9-0 start was in the 2012-13 season. The loss for the Otters drops them to a conference showing of 1-2 en route to an overall mark of 3-6.
 
In the Green and Gold's victory, four players on the Broncos' team recorded double-digit points. Leading the way with a 6-for-11 performance was Jordan Faison. The senior from Lake Forest provided his teammates with 18 points.
 
Barry Bell was second on the list of Broncos' point leaders with 13. He went 3-for-6 from the field while adding a perfect 6-for-6 showing from the line. Rounding out the Green and Gold's double-digit point finishers were Chris Sullivan and Jordan Ogundiran.
 
Sullivan's 12 points came on a 5-for-11 showing, complete with a three pointer and a free throw made. Ogundiran sank three shots in the contest, each from beyond the arc. With his long shots, the freshman added three free throws to tally 12 points in the matchup.
 
The Broncos and Otters were close on the efficiency tally, with each providing percentages in the 40s. The Broncos finished at 45.3% and the hometown Monterey Bay squad recorded a 40.4%. CPP outrebounded the home team 37-34 in the contest however, and carried the lead through most of the game.
 
Coach Greg Kamansky's squad proved its depth as the Broncos' bench players tallied 23 points in the game. CPP also proved adept near the net as 30 of their points were recorded in the paint.
 
The first half saw the Broncos with the lead on every play but one. Heading into the halftime break, the Green and Gold clung to a one-point lead over the hometown Otters. In the second half, the CSUMB squad battled back and with just over 15 minutes remaining on the game clock, the Otters would take a lead that they carried for the next 13 minutes.
 
At 2:23, the Broncos' point leader Faison put in a jumper for his 16th point of the contest, and a tie for the two teams. The next 39 seconds saw the score unchanged at 66-66. Then Bell found himself on the advantageous side of a foul and sank both of his shots from the line.
 
Despite the Otters' attempts to push back, CPP limited them to just two points in the final 3:38 of the game and secured the six-point victory.
 
CPP will return to action on Tuesday as they stay in Northern California for a 7:30 pm matchup against the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay. The Pioneers will carry an even 4-4 record with a 1-1 mark in the CCAA into the Tuesday contest. Their last game, on Saturday, was a 100-77 victory over Simpson.