SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team had defending CCAA champion Cal Poly Pomona on the ropes, but couldn't deliver the knockout blow before the Broncos rallied late for a 63–54 win Saturday night in The Kelp Bed.

CSUMB (4–3, 1–1 CCAA) got 16 points from Alex Fertig (Fresno/Buchanan HS) and 12 from Evan Zeller (Mission Viejo HS). Terrence Drisdom and Jordan Faison rescued a befuddled Cal Poly (5–2, 2–1) attack by finishing with 19 points apiece.

CSUMB led by as many as eight points in the first half by turning the tables on the Broncos. Cal Poly, known for its stalwart defense, held CSUMB mostly in check but couldn't unlock the Otter defense in the opening 20 minutes. CSUMB forced 15 first half Bronco turnovers to forge a 31–26 lead at intermission.

But Cal Poly regrouped after the break, turning the ball over just four times while forcing nine Otter turnovers in the second period. The teams traded leads several times in the second half before jumpers by Faison and Chad Haysbert erased CSUMB's final advantage and put the Broncos up 48–46 with 7:10 to play.

The score stayed close down the stretch and it was still a one possession game until a Drisdom jumper made it 59–54 Broncos with 1:09 to play. With the Otters in foul mode, the Broncos stretched their lead from the free throw line over the final 26 seconds

CSUMB will take a week off before returning to action next Saturday at Cal State East Bay. The Otters return home to host Northwest Nazarene University Dec. 18.