March 6, 2009

Box Score

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Senior guard #Steve Monreal# scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds to help Cal State Monterey Bay to a 54-49 overtime victory over top-seeded Cal Poly Pomona in a semifinal game of the 2009 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Basketball Tournament Friday at Coussoulis Arena in San Bernardino.

The Otters (16-13), who entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, advance to Saturday's championship game where they will face Cal State San Bernardino. Cal State Monterey Bay is just in its second year as a full-fledged member of the CCAA after joining the conference in 2007.

CCAA Most Valuable Player Larry Gordon led Cal Poly Pomona (20-7) with 17 points, six rebounds and seven steals.

Senior #Jose Sanchez# scored six of his eight points in the overtime period for the Otters. Senior forward #Joe Mitchell# was a force on the boards for Cal State Monterey Bay as he collected a game-high 14 rebounds and added eight points.

The second half featured six lead changes and three ties as no team led by more than four points during the final 20 minutes of regulation. The Otters twice held four-point leads, but needed a lay-up by Monreal with :21 remaining to force overtime.

Both teams shot below 35 percent from the field as Cal State Monterey Bay connected on 33.9 percent of its field goals while Cal Poly Pomona managed to convert just 33.3 percent of its shots.