POMONA, Calif. – With 10-consecutive points to close the game, the nationally-ranked Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team secured a comeback victory over Cal State L.A. on Wednesday in the conference opener.
The Broncos are now 7-0 overall and 1-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). CPP moved up to No. 5 in the NCAA Division II national rankings earlier this week. Wednesday's result drops Cal State L.A. to 0-7 so far this season.
With plenty of offensive balance, three Broncos scored in double figures. Leading the way was
Jeremy Dennis with 15 points while
Jordan Faison added 14 points and
Quentin Taylor delivered 12. As a team, CPP shot 54.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. With two treys apiece, Taylor and
Barry Bell paced the Broncos in that category.
The Broncos jumped out to a 15-5 lead in the first half, marking their largest lead of the contest. Early in the second half, the Golden Eagles put together a 7-0 run to take a five-point edge. Despite the visiting squad taking control, CPP didn't back down.
Dennis dropped in a layup at the 12:31 mark, snapping that CSULA spurt.
Francois Tchoyi scored a basket to tie the game at 50-50 and from there, the two teams traded the lead a few times. A three-pointer by Collin Johnson put the Golden Eagles ahead 59-55 with just 3:12 to play.
After that, it was all Broncos at Kellogg Arena. Taylor started the team's 10-0 run with a pair of free throws. Dennis scored four-consecutive points, two from a layup and two from free throws about a minute later. Those shots returned the lead back to CPP and in the final minute, Faison and
Jordan Ogundiran added key free throws.
Faison finished with a team-high eight rebounds while Bell collected four assists to lead the Broncos in that category.
Chris Sullivan put together a stellar performance as well, contributing two blocks and three steals.
CPP will return to action on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. home game against local rival Cal State Dominguez Hills.
