In their fifth game of the season, the San Francisco State University men’s basketball team is finally in the win column as they defeated the Menlo College Oaks, 67-60, in their final matchup in the PacWest/CCAA Crossover Challenge.
“Continue to fight and rebound” was the message that SFSU head coach Vince Inglima said to his team as they entered the final three minutes with an eight-point lead. Coming into the game, the Gators were allowing an average of 85.5 points per game this season. Inglima has been critical of his team’s effort on defense, but after giving up just 60 points to the Oaks, he saw that as a key component in getting their first victory.
“To hold a team to 60 points gives you a good chance to win the game, and that was definitely the difference,” Inglima said. “We were getting rebounds and outletting the ball and getting some transition and some easier, opener [shot opportunities].”
The Gators also generated 11 steals, which led to 19 points off turnovers. Another facet for the Gators was 31 bench points, the most the team has had all season.
On the offensive end, Gators freshman guard Miles Pollard had a game-high 14 points, to go along with four rebounds and three assists.
“I’m just proud of the effort we put in today,” Pollard said. “In the locker room, we always been talking about how our effort is pretty minimal at times, but we really gave it our all game today.”
Pollard’s offensive production was certainly valuable as his backcourt teammate, junior guard Fed Pernell, had to exit the game just 18 seconds into the first half.
Pernell injured his left ankle following a made 3-pointer. He was able to walk off the court under his own power but was ruled out at halftime after receiving treatment from the SFSU medical staff.
“It’s big, it’s gonna be a thing,” Inglima said about Pernell’s injury, coming out of the halftime break.
Pernell was seen on the Gators’ bench in the second half with crutches, so the Gators’ leading scorer may be out for several games.
“Our team is a next-man-up mentality; it felt like I needed to contribute in more ways when Fed got hurt,” said Gators junior guard Markees Williams, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Both Williams and junior forward Bricen Buciak provided some much-needed offense for SFSU as they were in a neck-and-neck battle with Menlo College early in the second half.
Buciak had 13 points against the Oaks. While down 43-42, Buciak scored eight straight points for the Gators with a pair of 3-pointers, as well as a layup, which was created from his own steal. This sequence turned the lead into the Gators’ favor. Later in the second half, he hit his third and final shot from beyond the arc, which extended SFSU’s lead at the time to 58-53.
Sophomore center Evan McKnight also impacted the game for the Gators, as he finished with eight rebounds and four blocks. Inglima gave his 6-foot-10-inch center some praise in the hallway following the game, commending his entire play, despite scoring just two points.
“I went into this game thinking ‘I’m just gonna bust my ass and what happens, happens,’” McKnight said. “I think I played hard and good things came from that.”
Just after the game ended, cheers could be heard from the Gators’ locker room as Inglima and the rest of his coaching staff walked inside, almost as if the imaginary monkey had been taken off this team’s back.
“It’s been a grind; nobody wants to go three weeks into the season without a win,” Inglima said. “It’s a big weight off our shoulders to see what the potential is.”
The Gators will look to extend their winning streak as they return home and open up CCAA conference play on Thursday against the California State University, East Bay University Pioneers at 7:30 p.m.
