ATHERTON, Calif. — Fresno Pacific wrapped up non-conference play with a match against Cal State Monterey Bay in the PacWest/CCAA Crossover at Haynes-Prim Pavilion. The 'Birds trailed by five at halftime, recording 14 assists and forced eight steals but struggled with rebounding, totaling 21 boards compared to CSUMB's 51.

Fresno Pacific opened the first half with a strong inside presence, scoring 12 points in the paint. Brandon Gibson Jr. was instrumental early on, contributing with a layup at 19:22 to start the scoring for the team. The 'Birds were determined and closed the gap, tying it back up at 18-18, which was followed by an offensive foul by the Otters to give the Sunbirds possession. Despite facing a deficit midway through the half, Loukas Jones provided a spark with a key 3-pointer at 11:01, assisted by Gabriel Quiette, to narrow the gap. FPU capitalized on fast breaks, totaling seven fastbreak points, which helped them stay competitive. Harrison Pennisi's steady scoring, including a jumper at 2:09, kept the Sunbirds close. With fifty-five seconds left on the clock, Hugo Garcia Gonzalez received a perfect pass from Logan Kilbert and sank a three-pointer in the right back corner, concluding the half with a score of 26-31.

The Sunbird men began the second half with a strong offensive push, narrowing the gap with a layup by Pennisi at 17:36 and a three-pointer from Seth Brown at 16:57, assisted by Hugo Gonzalez Garcia. Cal State Monterey Bay responded with a series of successful shots, including a three-pointer at 6:20, which widened their lead. After a media timeout, Gabriel Quiette got in on the action with a layup down the court, but CSUMB responded with points of their own. The 'Birds kept the pressure with a three-pointer from Gibson at 7:36, but the Otters' consistent scoring, highlighted by another three-pointer at 2:13, maintained their advantage. The half concluded with the Blue and Orange trailing 74–57, marking the end of the game.

Brown scored 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and added six rebounds. Gibson posted 12 points, converting five of his 10 field goal attempts. Pennisi recorded 10 points, making five field goals on 10 attempts. Amar Hot contributed defensively with three steals and three assists.

NEXT UP: The 'Birds are heading into PacWest Play! Biola is the first conference opponent the Sunbirds will face on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:15 pm, followed by a match against Point Loma on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 4:15 pm. Come down to the Special Events Center to cheer on your Sunbirds!

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