Box Score SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The losses suffered by the 2013-14 Chaminade University men's basketball team has been defined by one-point setbacks. So perhaps it was a fitting way to end the year, as the Silverswords battled but fell short against top-seeded Cal State San Bernardino, 79-78, at the NCAA West Regional at Coussoulis Arena on Friday.
Freshman guard
Kuany Kuany had a team-high 19 points, but it wasn't enough to offset Kirby Gardner's double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds for CSUSB.
The 'Swords suffered their fifth one-point loss this season, which ended at 19-13. The Coyotes (24-4) advanced to the regional semifinals on Saturday to face Chico State.
Kiran Shastri had 18 points while
Kevin Hu had 14.
Lee Bailey contributed with 11 while
Tyree Harrison, a San Bernardino native, ended his two-year CUH career with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Joshua Gouch had 13 points and 11 boards for Cal State San Bernardino while Andrew Young and Lacy Haddock, the CCAA Player of the Year, had 12 each.
"It was a tough, hard-fought game versus one of the best teams in the country," said Chaminade head coach
Eric Bovaird, who was denied his 50
th career win. "I'm proud of the effort and the toughness of our guys.
"We had a great year, winning the PacWest with a young team. Hopefully, we have more in store in the future."
The contest started with three ties before a corner 3 by
Kevin Hu gave Chaminade a 15-12 lead seven minutes in. Hu's 3-point play three minutes gave the Silverswords a 23-15 lead before an 8-0 Coyotes run tied it for the fourth time in the game. A pair of Harrison free throws followed by a Bailey trey quickly pushed the lead back to five.
CSUSB managed to cut the deficit to two, but Hu hit a jumper with a minute left and Bailey knocked down a shot just before the first half buzzer as the Silverswords grabbed a 41-35 halftime advantage.
Chaminade's momentum carried over to the second half as a Harrison layup and put-back throw-down gave the 'Swords their largest lead of the game at 47-37 some 90 seconds into the second half.
But the Coyotes held Chaminade scoreless for the next four minutes, going on a 9-0 run before Shastri finally broke the surge with a pair of free throws. Gardner then tied it at 49 on the next possession, hitting a 3. The teams then traded several scores before CS San Bernardino took its first lead of the game at 56-55 on a Gouch 3-point play with 10:19 remaining.
The run continued for CSUSB as the home crowd got back into the game. In all, the Coyotes' surge was 30-10 over a 12-minute span, taking a double-digit lead at 67-57 with 6:05 left.
Chaminade then got five straight from Kuany to close to 67-62. But Gouch hit a jumper to push the lead back to seven and every CUH point was seemingly answered by the Coyotes.
Haddock banked in a 15-footer from the right wing with 42 seconds left to put CSUSB up, 77-70, to seemingly put the game out of reach. However, Kuany's and-one closed the 'Swords to 77-73 with 36 ticks left to play. Kuany then stole the inbounds pass and hit a layup, making it 77-75 just five seconds later.
On the ensuing possession, Chaminade forced a turnover, giving them the ball with 25 seconds left with a chance for a tie or the lead. But the 'Swords, in turn, gave it right back, forcing Chaminade to foul. Andrew Young then hit two free throws to seal it. Those seemingly mundane free throws loomed even bigger when Shastri's desperation three-quarter court heave at the buzzer splashed into the net, albeit too little, too late.
Chaminade, which was 20
th nationally in 3-pointers made at 9.3 per game, was held to only six made triples on the night, its lowest total since making six in a Jan. 25 loss at Dominican.
The 'Swords shot 40 percent on the evening while the Coyotes were 45 percent from the field. Chaminade was out-rebounded, 42-32, while committing only 10 turnovers to CSUSB's 12. The Coyotes were 21-of-28 from the charity stripe while the Silverswords were 20-of-23.
