SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Chiefy Ugbaja's season-high 18 points lifted the San Francisco State men's basketball team to a 76-67 victory over Cal State San Marcos on Saturday afternoon in The Sports Center.
The Golden Gators (6-3/3-2 CCAA) last matched up with the Cougars (3-7/0-4 CCAA) in the first round of the 2018 CCAA Championships, a game which the Gators won 69-66 in double overtime. This time, the Gators got it done with three Gators in double figures and despite four Cougars in double digits.
- San Francisco State continues to lead the conference in defense at 63.1 points per game.
- Chiefy Ugbaja netted his season high on 7-of-11 shooting.
- Jiday Ugbaja added 11 points and led the Gators with six rebounds.
- Sophomore Michael Diaz came off the bench to score a career-high 10 points in the win.
- The Gators handed the Cougars their fifth consecutive loss.
- Bryce Sloan and Darae Elliott added 13 points apiece to lead the Cougars. Khalil Fuller added 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the loss.
The Gators led by four at the 12-minute media timeout though Cal State San Marcos evened the score at 19-19 on Dalton Soffer's three-pointer. The teams traded the lead with the Gators growing their lead to six on
Chiefy Ugbaja's three-point play and taking a 33-30 lead into the locker room.
The Gators used three-pointers to grow the lead to nine. Michael Diaz hit back-to-back threes to make it 51-43. An Elliott second-chance putback cut the lead to six but Kenny Macklin's three-pointer made it a nine-point lead with 12:40 to go. CSUSM trimmed the lead to four with eight to go but the Gators defense frustrated the Cougars as the Gators rattled off a 7-0 run, capped by a pair of Niquis Garland free throws, that grew the lead to 11. Darae Elliott's fourth foul was a technical and the Cougars needed a timeout with 6:28 to play. CSUSM broke from the huddle with three consecutive layups but a Jiday Ugbaja free throw stopped the bleeding and kept the lead at two possessions with under four to go. Ryne Williams, who scored all nine of his points in the second half, hit a clutch three to put the Gators up nine and Diaz's steal and layup put the lead back to double digits with seconds to go.
SF State returns home to the Main Gym at the Don Nasser Family Plaza for the next three contests. The Gators have just one game next week, on Thursday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m. versus Cal State San Bernardino. That is also Student Study Break. SF State students will have a chance to win free pizza and prizes during timeouts and at halftime. 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.
