BOX SCORE

HAYWARD, Calif. — Close games continue to be unkind to the Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team. This time, an heroic comeback died in the final five seconds of a 91–87 loss at Cal State East Bay Friday night in Pioneer Gym.

Junior guard Brandon Ward (Riverside/Woodcrest HS) scored 13 of his team–high 21 points in an epic second half that saw the Otters roar back from a 19–point deficit to take a late lead before ultimately falling. Junior forward Derrick Anderson (Pittsburg HS) added 19 points and junior center James Albert (San Bernardino/Aquinas HS) chipped in a career–high 16.

Friday's barn–burner marked the fifth time this season that CSUMB dropped a game decided in the final minute and its fourth loss by four or fewer points. This time, the Otters climbed out of a 61–42 hole to take an 87–86 lead on a Kevin Loustale (Chico HS/Shasta College) putback with 47 seconds remaining.

But the Pioneers got a putback of their own from Jurrell Turner on the ensuing possession to retake the lead. With the shot clock off, CSUMB had a chance to win at the end, but Roshun Wynne deflected a pass, causing an Otter turnover with 2.8 seconds to play.

Jason Smith knocked down a pair of free throws to put East Bay up by three when the Otters were denied a chance at the tie by the same clock error that buried them in a one–point loss at Notre Dame de Namur earlier this season.
The Otters ran a dynamic inbounds play that would have given them a look at a tying three pointer, but the
clock operator started the clock before Ward could inbound the ball. The officials corrected the error, but with
no timeouts left to draw up another play, the Pioneers snuffed out the next attempt and Smith made one more free throw to account for the final margin.

Leaders
Points	Ward, 21	Wynne, 22
Rebounds	Loustale, 13	Samuels, 6
Assists	Ward, 5	Samuels, 7
Steals	Ward, 2	Wynne, 5
Blocks	Wharton, 1	Turner, 1

The late comeback might not have been necessary if not for a blazing 14–0 run to open the game by East Bay. In fact, the Pioneers threatened to blow the game open early, building an 18–point lead through the first six–plus minutes before the first big comeback of the night got the Otters to within three–points late in the half. East Bay settled on a 50–40 lead at intermission.

As they did in the first half, the Pioneers held CSUMB scoreless for nearly four minutes of a 9–0 run to open the second half. The lead stayed in double digits until a Ward three–pointer and layup capped a quick 8–0 run that pulled the Otters to within 73–69 inside of eight minutes.

CSUMB still trailed by seven at 84–77 with three minutes to play when another Ward three sparked a 10–2 run that gave the Otters their first lead of the night at 87–86.

Wynne led East Bay (5–4, 3–2 CCAA) with 22 points and five steals. Smith chipped in 17 points while Mark Samuels added 12 points and seven assists.

CSUMB (2–7, 1–4) returns to action in 2012 with a trip to The City to take on San Francisco State Thursday (Jan. 5). Tipoff in scheduled for 7:30 p.m. as the nightcap of men's/women's doubleheader action.

If you can't make the trip, be sure to listen live on KRXA 540 AM and www.OtterAthletics.com.