Pioneers capture West Region Championship, advance to Elite Eight of NCAA DII men’s basketball tournament

Cal State East Bay earns No. 2 seed, set for matchup against Oklahoma Baptist

Only undefeated team remaining in NCAA men’s basketball

By CSEB Athletics

Cal State East Bay men’s basketball are still perfect!  The Pioneers incredible season continued on Monday behind a dominant second-half performance in a 73-58 win over Point Loma in the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship.  East Bay improved to 33-0 on the season and punched their ticket the NCAA DII Elite Eight in Pittsburgh next week.

The Pioneers set the tone early, getting off to a quick start with Jaayden Bush scoring the game’s first points on a strong finish inside before adding a mid-range jumper to keep them in front in the opening minutes. The first half, however, was tightly contested, with Point Loma responding with a 9-0 run midway through the period to take an 11-6 lead. The Sea Lions extended their advantage to as many as eight following a three-pointer from Caden Harris, putting East Bay in an early hole.

The Pioneers responded with composure. A transition three from Ramsey Huff off a steal by Tyree Campbell sparked momentum, and Amare Campbell added a bucket inside to help chip away at the deficit. East Bay continued to battle, with Jalen Foy converting a putback and Matt Williams knocking down a key three-pointer to bring the Pioneers within one. Late in the half, Tyree Campbell delivered a three-pointer to give East Bay a 30-28 lead, but Point Loma answered just before the break to take a narrow 31-30 advantage into halftime.

The second half however belonged to the Pioneers.  After briefly falling behind 33-32, East Bay seized control with a decisive run fueled by defense and transition play. Tyree Campbell sparked the surge with a three-pointer, then found Amare Campbell for a fastbreak layup following a steal. Moments later, another three from Campbell pushed the lead to 42-35, capping a 10-2 burst that swung momentum firmly in East Bay’s favor.

From there, the Pioneers never looked back. Takai Emerson-Hardy provided a spark off the bench with a strong finish inside, while Payden White added a mid-range jumper to keep the lead steady. Point Loma briefly cut the deficit to one, but East Bay answered again as Jalen Foy knocked down a three-pointer to extend the lead back to four.

With under five minutes to play, East Bay delivered the knockout punch. A steal by Matt Williams led to a fastbreak jumper from Amare Campbell, and moments later, Tyree Campbell scored in the paint to push the lead to seven. The Pioneers’ defense tightened down the stretch, forcing multiple turnovers and contested shots, while Josh Ijeh threw down a fastbreak dunk off a feed from Amare Campbell to ignite the home crowd.

East Bay closed the game at the free throw line, with Foy, Amare Campbell, and Bush all converting key attempts before Bush punctuated the victory with a breakaway dunk in the final minute. The Pioneers outscored Point Loma 43-27 in the second half.

Tyree Campbell led the way and was named West Regional Most Outstanding Player after leading all players with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, while adding six rebounds and three steals. Amare Campbell was named to the All-Tournament Team and provided a strong all-around effort with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists.  He was joined by Bush who added 11 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists.  Foy also tacked on 11 points and pulled down five rebounds.

With the win, Cal State East Bay became the first team to claim a spot in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Pittsburgh starting next Thursday, March 25th.

Fresh off their historic West Regional Championship, Cal State East Bay is headed to the national stage as the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986.

The Pioneers (33-0) are the only undefeated team remaining in NCAA men’s basketball.  They will take on Oklahoma Baptist Bison, the tournament’s No. 7 seed, in a national quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday, March 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. PT at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.

East Bay earned its place in the Elite Eight by capturing the NCAA West Regional title, capping off a dominant postseason run and extending its perfect season to 33-0. Tyree Campbell added to his historic senior season, earning NCAA West Regional Most Outstanding Player to go along with his West Region Player of the Year and CCAA Player of the Year honors.

Oklahoma Baptist enters the matchup following an impressive regional showing of its own, winning the Central Region after entering is the No. 2 seed.

The winner of the East Bay–Oklahoma Baptist contest will advance to the Final Four on March 27, facing the winner of the matchup between No. 3 seed Gannon and No. 6 seed Michigan Tech. The opposite side of the bracket features top-seeded Nova Southeastern against No. 8 Black Hills State, and No. 4 Daemen versus No. 5 Lander.

The national championship game is scheduled for April 5, as the remaining teams battle for the Division II title.