Hayward’s Cal State University East Bay (CSUEB) men’s basketball season has come to a close.
On Wednesday, March 25, Cal State East Bay played in the NCAA Division II National Championship in Pittsburg. The team fell to Oklahoma Baptists in the Elite Eight bracket.
At the top of the game East Bay started off strong, but the Oklahoma Baptists were able to stack on points in a 8-2 run, followed by a 9-0 run. By halftime the Pioneers were at a 20-point deficit, 48-28. In the second half the Pioneers cut the deficit to 17 points but weren’t able to close the gap, ending the game at 78-55.
Although the Pioneers’ season comes to a close with a loss, the historic winning streak the team leaves behind will not soon be forgotten. The Pioneers won their conference at 22-0 and the NCAA Division II West Regional at 33-0, marking a huge comeback from the team’s 11-17 overall record just last year.
On March 26, athletic director Allison Kern, the school’s staff and fellow Pioneers welcomed the team back to their Hayward campus as they returned from Pittsburg. With the warm reception, the school’s community rallied around the team to show their support and pride.
CSUEB president Cathy Sandeen commented on the team’s social media post, “It’s moments like these that show why we’re so proud to be PIONEERS. Thank you for such a spectacular season.”
Other fans shared their support, saying, “They have so much to be proud of,” “What a great team who supported each other” and “A historic season! As a proud alum this team was fun to follow.”
The hard work of their historic season was noticed by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Not only was head coach Bryan Rooney awarded Coach of the Year, NABC senior guard Tyree Campbell was also recognized by the association with the Division II Player of the Year award.
