IRVINE, Calif. - In a nail-biting contest, the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team pulled off a thrilling 80-78 victory over Concordia University Irvine. The win was a hard-fought battle, with the Broncos overcoming a 50-42 deficit at halftime to secure the comeback victory.

It was a tale of two halves for the Broncos. Early in the first half, the teams traded baskets, with the game tied 18-18 with 12 minutes left. However, the Golden Eagles began to build momentum, closing out the first half with a strong finish and a 50-42 lead. Concordia capitalized on key rebounds and three-pointers to create separation and maintain an eight  point advantage throughout the opening period.

After the break, the Broncos made adjustments and started chipping away at the deficit. With 11 minutes remaining in the second half, the Broncos were down by just one point. Concordia responded by bringing in three of their starters and regaining a 10-point lead thanks to some clutch shooting and key rebounds.

With the game on the line, the Broncos caught fire. After a timeout, Caleb Nelson nailed a big three-pointer to cut the lead, and following another quick timeout, the Broncos continued to rally, eventually tying the game at 74-74 with five minutes left. A series of crucial baskets from Demarreya Lewis-Cooper and Sam Hunter kept the momentum on the Broncos' side.

With the game tied at 78-78 in the final minute, Sam Hunter drove to the basket and scored the go-ahead layup to put the Broncos up 80-78. The defense held strong in the final seconds, as Concordia's last attempt to tie or win the game fell short. The Broncos held on for the hard-fought victory.

The Broncos were led by a balanced scoring attack, with Demarreya Lewis-Cooper leading all scorers with 22 points, followed by Caleb Nelson with 19 points and Miles Lewis who added 12 points. The performance of Sam Hunter was also pivotal, as he scored key points in the final moments to help the Broncos take the lead and hold on for the win.

Up Next:
The Broncos return to Pomona, Calif. for their home opener on Saturday, November 16^th at 3:00 PM against Biola.

Bronco Bits:

• Greg Kamansky is now 455-206 as the head coach of the Broncos.
• The Broncos are now 4-0 against Concordia. The last time the Broncos faced the Golden Eagles was 1997.
• Cal Poly Pomona shot over 50% from the field and from three-point range, an impressive mark that helped them overcome Concordia's strong shooting in the first half.
• The game was tied 7 times, showcasing the back-and-forth nature of the contest.