Undefeated Cal State East Bay Pioneers men’s basketball team wins first CCAA championship

Heads to NCAA DII Tournament

UNBEATEN. UNTOUCHED. UNSTOPPABLE.

Watch NCAA seed Selection Show Sunday night

By Kimberly Hawkins, Senior News and Media Manager/PIO, Cal State East Bay

The Cal State East Bay men’s basketball team continued their historic run, clinching the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament title with an 80-63 win over Cal Poly Humboldt.  The Pioneers improved to 30-0 on the season, captured their first tournament championship and earned their first ever berth into the NCAA DII Tournament.

East Bay set the tone early, opening the game with a layup from guard Jaayden Bush just seconds into the contest. The Pioneers quickly built a lead behind strong interior play from Josh Ijeh, who converted a tip-in and free throw to give East Bay an early five-point advantage. Cal Poly Humboldt answered with a brief run midway through the half, but the Pioneers continued to respond with balanced scoring and strong defense.

Key contributions from the East Bay bench helped swing momentum in the first half. Takai Emerson-Hardy threw down a dunk and added another basket inside, while Jordan Espinoza converted a layup late in the period. Bush added a fast-break layup and knocked down free throws in the closing seconds to help the Pioneers take a 35–27 lead into halftime.

East Bay extended its advantage immediately after the break as Tyree Campbell knocked down a three-pointer to push the lead into double digits. Bush followed with a three of his own, and Campbell connected again from beyond the arc to keep the Pioneers firmly in control. The Lumberjacks briefly cut the deficit to single digits midway through the half, but East Bay answered with a decisive run fueled by defensive stops and second-chance opportunities.

Bush led all scorers with a season high 23 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field while adding five rebounds and two steals. Bush, a junior, was named CCAA Tournament MVP.  Jalen Foy finished with 13 points and five rebounds, while Ijeh dominated the glass with a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with 12 points for a double-double. Campbell added 11 points on three made three-pointers and contributed three assists and two steals.  Ijeh and Campbell both earned All-Tournament team honors.

East Bay’s depth also played a key role in the championship victory. Amare Campbell dished out a team-high six assists and scored five points, Emerson-Hardy added four points and three rebounds, and Terence Haywood chipped in three points off the bench. The Pioneers controlled the boards with a 41–36 rebounding advantage and outscored Humboldt 36–30 in the paint while forcing turnovers that led to transition opportunities.

With the win, Cal State East Bay improves to a perfect 30–0 on the season and claims the CCAA Tournament title, completing a dominant run through the conference tournament and continuing one of the most remarkable seasons in program history.

CSUEB remains the only undefeated team in NCAA Division II and earns the CCAA’s automatic bid, as the No. 1 seed, to the NCAA West Regional, which begins next Friday (Mar. 13). Cal State East Bay will learn its opponent and seed during the NCAA Selection Show tonight (Mar. 8) at 8 p.m. on NCAA.com.

30–0. Conference Champions. History Made.

See Championship Game video, game photos and the post-game press conference video.

For more information about the school with campuses in both Concord and Hayward visit www.csueastbay.ed.