SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (0-1) opened the 2025–26 campaign with a 77-74 overtime loss to Concordia University Irvine (1-0) on Friday afternoon at The Sports Center.
TOP PERFORMERS
Keavie Love – 34 points | 8 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 steals
Dexter Stratton – 10 points | 7 rebounds | 1 block
Jaylin Leslie – 8 points | 3 steals | 3 rebounds
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSUSM trailed 30-24 at halftime after shooting 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from the field while holding CUI to 36.7 percent (11-of-30).
- The Cougars opened the second half with a 9-2 run, taking a 37-35 lead with 16:28 remaining.
- Love powered the surge with seven early second-half points to push CSUSM ahead by as many as four at the 13:55 mark, its largest lead of the game.
- CUI responded with a 7-0 stretch to go back in front 44-41 before the teams traded baskets and leads down the stretch, resulting in a 66-66 tie at the end of regulation.
- In overtime, Love tied the game at 68-68 and again at 70-70.
- CUI's Kaden Minter hit two three-point shots to give the Golden Eagles a 76-72 lead with 1:04 to play.
- After Love put in a layup to make it 76-74 with 44 seconds to go, CUI's Macarhy Morris made it a 77-44 game with a free throw with 13 seconds remaining.
- Love scored eight of CSUSM's 10 overtime points as the Cougars' final three-point attempt at the buzzer missed.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM shot 44.8 percent from the field to CUI's 43.6 percent. The Eagles held a significant edge from three at 43.8 percent compared to the Cougars' 6.3 percent.
- The Cougars dominated in the paint with a 46-20 advantage.
- CUI won the rebounding battle 38-35.
- The Cougars held a 21-5 edge in points off turnovers, capitalizing on the Golden Eagles' 15 miscues.
- CSUSM held an 18-11 edge in bench scoring.
- Love's 34 points were a career high and tied for the sixth most in program history. They were the most points scored by a Cougar since Greg Milton III's 39 at Saint Martin's on Nov. 11, 2022.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will conclude the opening weekend of play by visiting Biola for a 7:30 p.m. game on Saturday in La Mirada.
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