The clock has struck midnight on the Cal State Stanislaus men’s basketball team’s Cinderella story.
The No. 7 seed Warriors’ season is done after a heartbreaking loss to No. 4 Chico State, 81-80, in the NCAA Div. II Tournament West Region Final on Monday night.
In a game which the Warriors lead most of the way – and 44-31 at halftime – Chico State came back to end the Warriors’ season. Chico State will now head to the Elite 8 to play the winner of the Montevallo-S.C. Aiken game.
Cal State Stanislaus lead by as many as 18, and held the lead with only 1.8 seconds left, until Amir Carraway of Chico State hit two free-throws to clinch the victory for the Wildcats. Carraway had 16 points on the night.
Marcus Bell, who was on a postseason hot streak, didn’t have a strong showing against Chico State. Foul trouble kept Bell off the court and he came away with only 8 points and 5 rebounds.
Cal State Stanislaus was on a 9 game winning streak before Monday’s loss, including a win over Chico State in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship game that sent the Warriors to the NCAA Tournament.
The season marks the best in school history, including the school’s first appearance in the NCAA Div. II Tournament and a school-record 23 wins.
