MONTEREY BAY, Calif. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team opened the season with a 74-63 win over host Cal State Monterey Bay.
 
The Wildcats (1-0) shot 46.8 percent from the floor, including a 68.18 percent mark in the back end of the contest. Central scored over half of their points in the paint, going down low for 40 points. The Crimson and Black also outscored the Otters (0-1) in points off turnovers, 12-10.
 
"We had two good defensive stretches defensively that allowed us to win tonight," Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. "The last ten minutes of the first half and the last 10 minutes of the second half. I thought our guys had great energy and fought hard to earn this."
 
Early scoring sent the lead careening from one team to the other. The 'Cats finally took command with just under eight minutes left on the clock. A layup from Mitch Brizee put Central ahead 19-17. An 11-3 run with buckets from Xavier Smith, David Thompson, and Matt Poquette, as well as a three from Colby Gennett, pushed their lead to 30-20 with 3:35 left in the opening stanza. The double-digit lead only slipped away once in the first after a pair of free throws from Dre Ferguson. Another layup from Brizee made it 32-22, while the half's final bucket gave the Crimson and Black a 12-point lead at the halftime buzzer.
 
Seven minutes into the second half, the Otters dropped their deficit to eight. An 11-0 run from Monterey Bay brought them within striking distance, just a four-point margin separating the two sides with 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
 
A pair of free throws from Thompson, a layup from Marqus Gilson, and a three from Amari Stafford stretched Central's lead to nine, 58-49. The Otters called a timeout, trying to soften the Wildcats' offense and rally their squad. After the 30-second break, Gilson was fouled at the hoop but knocked down the layup and the free throw for a 61-49 edge
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Central and Monterey Bay traded baskets in the final minutes. The Otters, however, were only able to reduce the deficit to nine as the Wildcats answered every bucket from Monterey Bay.
 
Three Wildcats scored in double-digits. Thompson led CWU with 18 points, while Gilson added 17 and Smith picked up 11. Stafford led the 'Cats in rebounding, hauling in eight boards. Gilson tallied a block and a steal to his night.  
 
"David got us going early offensively," Rinta added. "Xavier made some good plays in the middle of the game, then Marqus came up with some big baskets late. I thought Amari came in and changed the tone of the game in the second half with his rebounding. Marqus and Mitch did a great job defending [Monterey Bay's] all-league center. They're a great shooting team and a big key was our ability to hold them to two made threes."
 
The Wildcats are back in action tomorrow (November 13) as they take on Cal State San Bernardino. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.