SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (0-6) took a heartbreaking 70-69 loss to Azusa Pacific (3-3) to wrap up non-conference play on Tuesday night at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Micah Boone – 19 points | 4 rebounds | 3-of-4 3FG
Keavie Love – 18 points | 4 rebounds | 10-of-11 FT
Dexter Stratton – 14 points | 4 rebounds | 2 assists
Austin Nassar – 6 points | 4 assists | 4 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• APU got off to a hot start with a 12-6 lead before CSUSM charged back to take its first lead at 15-14 on a Keavie Love 3-pointer at the 9:53 mark of the first half.
• APU took another six-point lead at 24-18 on a Maui Sze driving layup with 4:22 to go in the first period.
• A pair of free throws by Love narrowed CSUSM's deficit to two at 28-26 with eight ticks remaining in the half.
• Azusa took the 28-26 lead into the halftime break after shooting 44.4% (12-of-27) to CSUSM's 31.8% (7-of-22). 
• San Marcos won the battle of the boards in the first 20 minutes, 20-11. 
• CSUSM went to the line 16 times in the first half, making 11 free throws, while APU was held to zero free attempts.
• Azusa opened the second half with a 7-0 run capped by a Sze 3-pointer to go up 35-26 at the 18:26 mark. 
• A Love layup at the 14:08 mark cut the gap to 40-39 in the second half. 
• A second-chance dunk by Micah Boone evened the game at 54-all before a 3-pointer by Love put CSUSM up 57-54 with 7:09 remaining.
• CSUSM took its largest lead of the game 59-54 after Dexter Stratton made both of his free throw attempts with 5:53 to go.
• APU knotted the game once again at 59-all with a 5-0 run after Sze made a layup and three free throws in the span of 41 seconds.
• Boone's 3-pointer put CSUSM back up by four at 65-61 with 3:27 on the clock.
• After Sze made two free throws to make it a two-point game at 65-63, a Stratton layup gave CSUSM a four-point lead again at 67-63 with 2:24 remaining.
• APU closed out the game on a 7-2 run with a jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup to earn the 70-69 win.
• CSUSM outshot APU in the second half at 53.8% (14-of-26) to 51.9% (14-of-27). CSUSM was also a hot 6-of-9 (66.7%) from beyond the arc.

 
FAST BREAKS

• CSUSM ended the game with the edge in rebounds at 34-23 while also dominating the offensive glass at 11-6.
• APU shot 48.1% (26-of-54) from the field to CSUSM's 43.8% (21-of-48) as Sze led the game with 24 points for APU.
• APU had the edge in assists (17-10), steals (7-4) and blocked shots (4-1) while committing fewer turnovers (10-12).
• CSUSM had just three fewer points off turnovers at 17-14 while holding the advantage in second-chance points at 13-9.
• CSUSM made a season-high 20 free throws on 26 attempts (76.9%).
• APU has now won three of the last four meetings against CSUSM and has a 7-3 lead in the all-time series.
• Boone's 19 points and Love's 18 points were both season highs.

 
UP NEXT
With its non-conference schedule complete, CSUSM will open CCAA play at Sonoma State on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Rohnert Park.