The Chico State men’s basketball team lost in the semifinals of the CCAA Championship Tournament to the UC San Diego Tritons.
The ’Cats, who were on a five game winning streak, never took the lead as the Tritons led by 16 points in the first half. Later, Chico State got the lead down to five points twice, but UC San Diego answered quickly and built on its lead within the next couple of possessions. The team ended up losing 53-65 on a night where they only shot 36 percent from the field.
Isaiah Ellis had one of his best games of the season in the loss. Though he got into foul trouble early on, the junior forward scored 21 points on 50 percent shooting and 8 rebounds. His fouls proved costly for the team, as he only played 28 minutes in a game where the ’Cats really needed his combination of size and skill. Senior guard Robert Duncan also contributed with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
With a record of 23-7 and key wins against great teams, the Wildcats hope to be selected to play in the NCAA Championship Tournament on Mar. 10. If not , this semifinal game against UC San Diego will be the final game of their 2016-17 season.
