March 13, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- Larry Gordon had game-highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds, hitting a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime and making a crucial block to preserve the victory at the end of the extra period, leading Cal Poly Pomona to an 83-81 victory in the first of two opening-round games Friday in the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball West Sub-Regional on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the campus of Western Washington University.

The Broncos, the No.3 seed in the West Region, improved to 21-7 and face the winner of tonight's No. 7-seed Seattle Pacific versus No.2 Western Washington contest Saturday at 7 p.m. Guard Austin Swift added 17 points for Cal Poly Pomona, which won for the 12th time in the last 13 games.

Cal State San Bernardino, the No.6 seed, had a seven-game winning streak snapped and concluded its season 20-10. The Coyotes, who won the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, were led by center Brandon Brown, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Cal Poly Pomona had a 30-26 lead at halftime and opened up a 19-point lead, 51-32, with 14:20 to play. But Cal State San Bernardino rallied, taking a 64-60 lead on a Brown layin with 3:30 left.

The Coyotes were still up by four, 74-70, with under 20 seconds left. Dahir Nasser hit two free throws to cut the margin to two, and after Devin Montgomery made one of two foul shots with 14.8 seconds to go to put the Coyotes up three, Gordon, the California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year, hit a 3-pointer from the left corner at the buzzer to force overtime at 75-75.

Gordon then scored the first basket of overtime, giving the Broncos a lead they would never relinquish. With the score 82-81 in the final five seconds, Gordon blocked a Brown shot in the paint, and the ensuing tie-up gave Cal Poly Pomona the ball to effectively put the game out of reach.