SAN FRANCISCO — Ryne Williams posted a career night with 33 points and 12 rebounds but the San Francisco State men's basketball team dropped a 78-71 heartbreaker in overtime to No. 7 Cal Poly Pomona on Thursday night at the Main Gym at Don Nasser Family Plaza.
- Williams made his first three-point attempt but, as a team, the Gators went just 3-of-14 from deep in the first half.
- Jiday Ugbaja added 14 points and a game-high four assists in the loss.
- The Broncos missed their first 12 three-point attempts before making one with 8:14 to go in regulation.
- Williams' 33 points were the most since Warren Jackson's 35 in an 88-74 win on February 25, 2017 at Humboldt State. He had a new career-high by the half with 21 points.
- San Francisco State was out rebounded 46-30, which resulted in 17 second-chance points for CPP.
- 56.5 percent (35-of-62) of the Gators' field goal attempts came from distance whereas 36 of CPP's points came in the paint.
- Riley Schaefer led the Broncos with 20 points. All but one Bronco to enter the game scored at least two points.
Cal Poly Pomona was assessed an administrative technical prior to the start of the clock and Williams made the free throw to give the Gators a 1-0 lead. Williams scored the game's first five points of the game and the team's first seven points. Justin Young cut the Gators lead to one with a dunk and the Broncos grabbed their first lead of the night on a putback by Schaefer. Another Williams bucket briefly gave the Gators the lead but a 11-0 Broncos run over nearly five minutes grew their advantage to double digits. The Gators responded with a 14-7 run that trimmed the deficit to two, a lead which CPP carried into the locker room at 31-29.
Jase Wickliffe's corner three in front of the Gators bench put San Francisco State back ahead at the 17-minute mark and sparked a 16-5 San Francisco State run over the next six minutes. The Gators led 49-40 but the Broncos answered with a 14-0 run of their own over the next four and a half minutes to regain the lead, 54-49. The Gators pulled to within two after Williams had a block and a rebound at one end and the Gators converted at the other with a transition layup on a backdoor layup from Jiday Ugbaja to Jordan Balser. The Broncos got the two back with a pair of layups but Jiday Ugbaja found Williams with an around-the-back pass and Williams' fourth three ball of the night.
The defensive intensity fueled the comeback.
Brian Nebo drew a charge and
Jiday Ugbaja finished a fadeaway layup to put San Francisco State back in front 57-56. The teams traded threes and a Williams corner three made it 65-62.
A Wickliffe free throw made it a four-point cushion but
Chiefy Ugbaja's flagrant foul was his fifth foul. The Broncos made both free throws, kept possession of the ball, and a Phoenix Shackelford layup tied the game with 2.4 seconds remaining.
With Cal Poly Pomona leading by a point, Schaefer hit a three in front of his own bench with 1:23 which grew the lead to 75-71. Three more Broncos free throws grew the deficit to their final margin of victory.
The homestand continues as the Gators host Cal Poly Pomona on Thursday, November 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Chico State on Saturday, December 1 at 3 p.m. Live stats and video will be available, and be sure to follow San Francisco State men's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstate_mbb.
Courtside season tickets are still available for the 2018-19 season. A full season, which guarantees courtside seating for all twelve of San Francisco State's home conference basketball doubleheaders, is $250 per seat. For more information, visit sfstategators.com/courtside.
