ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – In its conference opener, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (0-7, 0-1 CCAA) fell 74-62 on the road at Sonoma State (5-2, 1-0 CCAA) on Saturday afternoon at The Wolves' Den.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Donovan Watkins – 14 points | 3 steals | 2 assists
Micah Boone – 12 points | 7 rebounds | 1 assist
Kyelin King – 11 points | 4 rebounds | 3 steals
Christian Littlejohn-Chin – 9 rebounds | 5 points | 2 assists | 2 steals
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars began the game with a 4-3 lead with a dunk by Christian Littlejohn-Chin and a jumper by Dexter Stratton.
• The Seawolves then went on a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the half at 15-6 on a Chris Holley jumper with 12:50 to go.
• CSUSM retook the lead with an 18-5 run over the next eight minutes as Micah Boone drained two free throws to make it 24-20 with 4:15 remaining in the period.
• With the Cougars up 26-25 with 1:40 to go in the half, the Seawolves went on a 6-0 run with a jumper and four free throws to take a 31-26 lead with 20 seconds remaining.
• Donovan Watkins trimmed CSUSM's halftime deficit to 31-28 with a driving layup in the final seconds.
• Despite being down three at the half, CSUSM had the hotter shooting hand at 54.5% (12-of-22) to SSU's 32.1% (9-of-28), but turnovers cost the Cougars at 13-7.
• Stratton led all scorers in the first half with eight points.
• Boone cut the deficit to two with a 3-pointer to make it 33-31 with 17:51 remaining.
• A 25-8 run soon after by the Seawolves gave them their largest lead of the game at 58-39 as Holley made two free throws with 8:41 remaining.
• CSUSM brought the deficit down to nine at 61-51 after Watkins made a pair of free throws with 4:57 to go, but the Cougars could not trim the Seawolves' lead any further.
• Sonoma shot 57.1% (12-of-21) from the field in the second half while holding CSUSM to 40% (12-of-30).

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM ended the game shooting a season-best 46.2% (24-of-52) from the field while holding SSU to 42.9% (21-of-49).
• The Cougars had more rebounds (33-28) and blocks (3-2) but the Seawolves had the advantage in assists (16-11) and steals (11-10).
• CSUSM committed a season-high 21 turnovers while SSU matched its season high with 16.
• Both sides scored 23 points off turnovers.
• SSU's Nick Medeiros and James Nobles led the game with 15 points each.
• This was the Seawolves' second consecutive win against the Cougars but CSUSM still holds the all-time series lead at 11-5.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will return to The Sports Center for its CCAA home opener against Cal Poly Pomona (5-1, 1-0 CCAA) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.