STOCKTON, Calif. – Despite a late rally from the Matadors, the Pacific men's basketball team (10-3) hung on to defeat CSUN (2-10), 79-73, on Sunday afternoon at the Alex. G Spanos Center.

With the win, the Tigers have won their fifth straight contest, while also notching their best 13-game start to the season since 2004-05, when UOP started at 11-2 overall. This season also marks the second straight that the Tigers have won at least 10 non-conference contests. 

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

First Half

• Pacific shot 53.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from the three-point line en route to a 39-26 advantage int eh first half. 
• The score was tied just once at 5-5 and there were eight lead changes through the first eight minutes of the game. 
• At the 13:59 mark, CSUN went on a 4-0 run that gave the Matadors their largest lead of the game (4 points). 
• Pacific enjoyed a 15-0 run that ran from 13:17-8:12 to put the Tigers up by double figures (11 points). The run included a six-point effort by Daniss Jenkins, five points from James Hampshire, and four-points from Pierre Crockrell II.
• The Tigers held the Matadors at a distance for the remainder of the half, allowing CSUN to come within seven points just twice in the final 8 minutes.
   

Second Half

• Including a 4-0 run that closed out the first half, the Tigers went on a 17-5 run through the first five and a half minutes (14:21) en route to their largest lead of the game (21 points).
• The game looked nearly out of reach for the Matadors, but a final 6-1 offensive burst, they were able to battle back within five points (78-73) with 00:31 remaining in regulation.
• Pacific would score one final time on a made free throw by Jenkins at 00:16, wrapping up the game with a 78-73 decision.
  
   

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Four different players were able to reach double figures in points, including Jahlil Tripp, who led the Tigers with 17 points. Justin Moore totaled 14 points, while Gary Chivichyan and Crockrell II each recorded 12 points. 
• Following a historic day on the floor, Crockrell II was tabbed the City of Stockton Human Resources Hardworking Player of the Game after recording career-highs in points (12), assists (8), while shooting 75 percent (6-for-8) from the field.
• Chivichyan also set a new record with the Tigers, knocking down a season-high four three-pointers. The graduate transfer finished 4-for-5 from the floor, with all four shots taken from beyond the arc.
• Tripp also led the Tigers in their defensive efforts with eight boards and two steals against the Matadors.
• As a team, Pacific held the edge in rebounds (32-21), assists (17-11), blocks (5-3), points in the paint (36-18), and second chance points (15-6).
  
   

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Chivichyan has scored at least nine points from beyond the arc in the last four games. Overall, the Hollywood, Calif. product has made 13 three-pointers for a total of 39 points since the Tigers 69-51 win over Longwood on Nov. 29, 2019.
• Pacific shot a season-best 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from the three-point line and has shot 50 percent or better from the field in three of its last six contests. 
• 17 assists against CSUN is a second-best on the season for the Tigers. In addition to Crockrell II's eight, Tripp (3), Amari McCray (2), Moore (2), Broc Finstuen (1), and Austin Vereen (1) all contributed offensively. 
  
   

WHAT COACH STOUDAMIRE HAD TO SAY

"I thought we played well in the first half and we did a great job in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but then I felt that we reverted back to past games where we are not guarding and not doing the things that we need to do."

"We did do a great job in the zone. In the past we have always had trouble and struggled, but we did a great job of passing the ball."

"The first half Pierre was really good. He set a tone. I felt the game was a little stagnant for us and he did a great job of penetrating. He was hitting his little runners and his floaters. He was a catalyst for a lot of the first half."

"When you start to play against zones, it shrinks the playbook. There is only so much you can do where you have to start knocking down shots. For us today especially, we did a great job of getting the ball in the middle."

"Gary did a good job of not only making shots, but he made big shots that meant a lot at that time in the game."

"CSUN makes you feel funny. Their guards are really good, they make you put the ball on the floor and pressure you. From a record standpoint, and they are missing arguably their best player, at 2-9 is not really who they are when they can catch fire."

 

WHAT'S NEXT
Pacific will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. for a midweek game against UNLV (Dec. 18) before closing out its non-conference home schedule against Idaho State on Saturday, Dec. 21. Live stats, audio links, and video links for both of next week's contests can be found at pacifictigers.com.

 

FOLLOW US
For more information about the Pacific men's basketball team, be sure to follow them on twitter (@PacificMensBB) and on Instagram (pacificmensbb).