November 15, 2009
Box Score
SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team opened the 2009-10 season with a 66-52 victory over the Academy of Art Urban Knights on Sunday afternoon at the Otter Sports Center.
"It was good to get a win at home today and we did a much better job at rebounding," said head coach #Rob Bishop#. "We are a little banged up with #Brandon Ward# playing injured and a few other players, #Davion Berry# and #Shaun Williams#, not dressing, but we will have those guys back this week.
"This was a good home win for us, to be able to come out and play well at home."
Senior guard #Jamelle Tolliver# led the Otters with 16 points and senior guard #Keith Wilson# chipped in 12 points. Wilson led all players with nine rebounds and three steals. Senior #Sean Jergo# and junior #Warren Freeman# contributed eight points apiece.
The Urban Knights were led by Jonathan Burnett with 12 points while Hunter Hayden pulled down a team-high eight boards.
After AAU began the game with two free throws, Tolliver scored CSUMB's first points of the season making two of his free throws.
The teams traded baskets until Freeman gave the Otters their first lead of the game with a reverse layup.
The Otters cruised to a 38-25 lead at the end of the first half.
AAU opened the second half with a three pointer by Phillip Samuel, but the Otters responded with a six-point run.
A jumper by junior college transfer #Ian Hosford# gave the Otters their largest lead of the game of 20 points (60-40) with 3:47 left on the clock.
The Otters controlled most of the game while out-rebounding the Urban Knights, 43-34, and had a big advantage by going to the free throw line 33 times to AAU's 16.
"We now have to go on the road and play two tough West Region games with Western Washington and Seattle Pacific," Bishop said. "Hopefully we will be up for the task."
CSUMB competes in the Seattle Pacific's Sodexho Tip-off Classic on Nov. 20-21. The Otters open up with Western Washington at 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20.
