SEASIDE, Calif. — After several close losses in the early portion of the CCAA race, the Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball team finally brought it all together Friday night to down CCAA–leading Cal State Stanislaus in a rout, 80–60, in The Kelp Bed.

Stanislaus scored the first five points of the game, but it was all Otters from there. CSUMB responded with a 23–2 run over the next 11 minutes to take a commanding 23–7 lead. The Warriors scored the opening bucket of the second half to get to within 11 at 33–22, but the Otters eased away from that point.

CSUMB scored 80 or more points in a game for the fifth time this season with a balanced offense that saw 11 Otters write their names in the scoring ledger. Evan Zeller (Mission Viejo HS), the CCAA's leading scorer, led the way with 15 points. The Otters also got 13 points from Mateo Jones (Victorville/Silverado HS) and 11 from Alex Fertig (Fresno/Buchanan HS).

For all of their offensive prowess Friday night, the Otters won this game with defense. They held Stanislaus to an opponent season–low 60 points while building an imposing 41–26 edge on the glass.

A Zeller 3–pointer gave CSUMB its first 20–point lead of the night at 53–21. A short jumper by Daye Turner (Compton/Centennial HS) who began his collegiate career as a redshirt at Stanislaus, gave the Otters their biggest lead in a game this season at 66–37 before the reserves put the finishing touches on the victory.

CSUMB (9–8, 5–6 CCAA) will close the first half of the CCAA schedule Saturday night by hosting Chico State for a 7:30 p.m. tip. Chico pulled into a first play tie with Stanislaus thanks to the Otter's win over Stanislaus and a 56–44 win of its own at East Bay.