CSUSB held a lead throughout the opening minutes of the second half while dealing with a series of turnovers and fouls against MSUB.
Second Half Momentum and the CSUSB Lead
The second half opened with a flurry of personnel adjustments as both coaching staffs looked to dictate the pace. CSUSB entered the frame with a 34-27 advantage, bolstered by an early layup from Hassan Dorman. The defensive intensity was immediately evident, with Croix Cox recording a crucial block on an Aidan Fowler layup attempt, forcing an offensive rebound that kept the possession alive for MSUB.
The volatility of the period was defined by a sequence of forced errors. Following a turnover by Chris Harris, MSUB’s Braydon Olson secured a steal, though he was unable to capitalize on the ensuing layup attempt. CSUSB capitalized on the defensive stop when Trey Booker-Lowery converted two free throws, extending the lead to 36-27. The game’s rhythm remained disjointed as both teams struggled with ball security; a turnover by Fischer Brown was immediately countered by a steal from Booker-Lowery, who then committed his own turnover, allowing Croix Cox to record a steal and a subsequent turnover for MSUB.
The Battle for the Paint
As the clock ticked toward the 15-minute mark, the physical nature of the game became the primary story. Croix Cox proved to be a pivotal figure for MSUB, fighting through traffic to record a tip-in that cut the deficit to 36-29. Connor Oertel followed with a jumper, narrowing the gap to five points. However, CSUSB responded with a surge; Chris Harris drained a three-pointer off an assist from Dorman, followed by a fastbreak layup that pushed the lead to double digits at 41-31.
The intensity culminated in a media timeout at the 15:00 mark, with the score at 41-33 following a layup by Cox, assisted by Jefferson Neary. The sequence of play highlighted a recurring theme of the game: the high-stakes battle for second-chance points and defensive rebounds. As noted in the box score provided by CSUSB Athletics, the ability of players like Tane Prictor to command the paint—despite missing initial layup attempts—proved instrumental in maintaining CSUSB’s structural advantage.
The Closing Sequence
The final minutes of this segment saw a tactical shift as MSUB attempted to chip away at the lead through the charity stripe. Following a foul by Prictor, Croix Cox stepped to the line and converted two free throws, bringing the score to 41-35. The pressure continued to mount as MSUB’s Oertel recorded a steal off a Booker-Lowery turnover, leading to a fastbreak jumper by Cox that brought the game within four points at 41-37.
CSUSB responded with a commanding dunk by Tane Prictor, assisted by Zion Paleo, re-establishing a six-point cushion. While MSUB’s defense attempted to lock down the perimeter, Prictor’s presence inside remained a consistent challenge. As the game progressed past the 13-minute mark, the statistical reality remained clear: CSUSB’s ability to convert on fastbreak opportunities and respond to MSUB’s defensive steals served as the primary buffer against a full-scale rally.
Despite the offensive output from MSUB’s key contributors, including the late-period heroics of Croix Cox and the distributive play of Oertel, the question of whether MSUB could sustain this defensive pressure remained unanswered as the teams headed toward the final stretch of the contest. The game continued to hinge on the efficiency of transition play and the ability of the bench rotations to mitigate the fatigue setting in after a rapid-fire sequence of turnovers.
