SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stan State men's basketball rallied from a five-point halftime deficit and pushed the game into overtime Saturday afternoon, but Cal State San Bernardino hit a three-pointer at the buzzer in the extra period to hand the Warriors a 73–72 loss at Coussoulis Arena. Despite the setback, Stan State remains firmly in the hunt for a CCAA Tournament berth with four games left in the regular season.

With the loss, Stan State moved to 12–12 overall and 8–10 in CCAA play, while CSUSB improved to 12–13 overall and 9–9 in conference action.

First Half
Stan State struggled to find a rhythm offensively in the opening half, shooting 10-for-28 from the field while going 1-for-13 from three-point range. CSUSB built an early edge at the free-throw line and carried a 30–25 lead into halftime.

Second Half
The Warriors responded with their best stretch after the break, shooting 14-for-27 in the second half and repeatedly attacking the paint to climb back into the game. Stan State erased the deficit and traded leads down the stretch before CSUSB forced overtime with a late three-pointer to tie the score at 63–63.

Overtime
Stan State held multiple leads in overtime and went ahead 72–70 on a free throw with six seconds remaining, but CSUSB answered at the horn with a three-pointer to secure the 73–72 decision.

Warrior Notables
Lloyd French led Stan State with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Malachi Johnson finished with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and added nine rebounds and three blocks.
Malik Johnson scored 10 points off the bench.
Stan State scored 44 points in the paint and the game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes.
The Warriors held CSUSB to 25-for-65 shooting from the field and 4-for-27 from three-point range, limiting the Coyotes to 38.5 percent overall and 14.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Updated CCAA Standings
With four games remaining in the regular season, Stan State sits at 8–10 in CCAA play and 12–12 overall, tied for seventh place with Cal Poly Pomona and one game back of fifth-place Cal State San Marcos and Cal State San Bernardino, who are both 9–9 in conference action. Cal State Monterey Bay holds fourth at 10–8, while Cal Poly Humboldt is third at 11–7. Cal State Dominguez Hills (14–4) and No. 2 Cal State East Bay (18–0) have both clinched spots in the CCAA Men's Basketball Championships, with East Bay continuing to lead the conference standings. The top six eligible teams will advance to the CCAA Men's Basketball Championships, scheduled for March 5–8 at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona.

Up Next
Stan State returns home for the final homestand of the regular season, hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. for Homecoming. The Warriors will then face Cal State Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. on Senior Day, when the program will honor Daniel Ameyaw, Jason Cibull, Javon Johnson, Tahjae Ordonio, and Jordan Smith. With four games remaining in conference play, Stan State will look to strengthen its position in the tightly contested CCAA standings before closing the regular season on the road at No. 2 Cal State East Bay and San Francisco State.