SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In their 28th tournament appearance, Cal Poly Pomona advances to the CCAA Tournament finals by defeating the Chico State Wildcats 73-61. This marks the first time since 2014 that the Broncos received a bye in the first round and the first time since 2019 they've reached the CCAA finals.
The game began with Chico State leading, maintaining that advantage throughout the first quarter, ending it 15-8 in their favor. In the second quarter, the Broncos worked their way back, tying the game at 22-22 with just over two minutes left, but the Wildcats regained a four-point lead, finishing the half at 30-26.
The Broncos entered the third quarter with a strong mindset and, with just a minute left, took the lead thanks to a jumper by Mydrea Moore. Shortly after, Cookie Marques hit a three-pointer, extending the Broncos' advantage to 47-43 by the end of the quarter. In the fourth, Brielle Minor added another three-pointer, and the Broncos held on to their lead, maintaining composure with key rebounds, steals, and no turnovers in the second half.
The bench played a vital role, contributing 20 points and providing crucial energy. Sydney Nelson spoke about their importance, saying, "The bench is so important, they bring constant support and reminders for our team. They push the team even further through their energy." Nelson led the Broncos with 29 points, playing all 40 minutes, while Moore had 10 rebounds.
Head Coach Danelle Bishop praised the team's unity, saying, "I think the one thing that is really special about this team is that they want each other to succeed, they don't care about their points or minutes, they care about sticking together to achieve the same goal."
Kalaya Buggs also highlighted the team's strong bond: "This is one of the most close-knit teams I have ever been on. We all had the same goal in mind, and we feed off each other's fire."
Through this victory, the Broncos advance to the CCAA Tournament Finals and will face the winner of the semifinal game between Cal State Dominguez Hills and Sonoma State.
Still Dancing!!@cppwbb defeats Chico State in the CCAA semifinals. Sydney Nelson led the team with 29 points and Mydrea Moore had 10 rebounds. The Broncos advance to the championship game tomorrow at 8:00 PM PST in San Marcos, Calif.#WeAreCPP pic.twitter.com/krCaAah4kI
— Cal Poly Pomona Broncos (@cppbroncos) March 8, 2025
Up Next:
The Broncos advance to the CCAA Tournament finals on Saturday, March 8th at 8:00 PM PST in San Marcos, Calif.
Bronco Bits:
- The Broncos are 2-3 all-time against Chico State in the CCAA tournament.
- Danelle Bishop is now 271-136 as head coach of the Broncos, including 210-92 in CCAA play. Including two previous stops at APU and CBU, Bishop is 409-221 all-time as a head coach.
- The Broncos have now made 28 of the 29 CCAA Tournaments ever hosted since 1985 (no conference tournament from 1999-2007).
- Their 25th win of the season marks the highest win total since 2018-19.
- The Broncos' 14 road victories is their most in a season since 1987-88, and is tied for the second-most in program history.
- Kalaya Buggs scored her 1,000th point in the Bronco uniform in the final 19 seconds of tonight's game.
Latest All Athletics News
- Broncos Fall Short in CCAA FinalsIn their 14th appearance in the CCAA finals, the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos fell to the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros with a final score of 54-77, as the Toros claimed the CCAA title.
- Broncos Drop Doubleheader Against CoyotesThe Cal Poly Pomona baseball team dropped both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Cal State San Bernardino, losing by scores of 15-3 and 3-0. With the losses, CPP falls to 7-13 on the season and 4-7 in conference play.
- Seven Broncos Collect Multiple Hits as Betten Records 300th CCAA WinThe Cal Poly Pomona baseball team put together their most dominant offensive performance of the season on Friday night, racking up 19 hits in a 14-4 victory over Cal State San Bernardino at Scolinos Field. With the win, the Broncos improve to 7-11 on the season and 4-5 in CCAA play, entering a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference standings.
- Broncos Fall to Cal Poly Humboldt in CCAA Tournament QuarterfinalsThe Broncos made their first appearance in the CCAA tournament since the 2021-2022 season, facing off against Cal Poly Humboldt in the quarterfinals.
- Kevin Simeth Becomes Eighth CCAA Elite 13 Award Recipient for CPPKevin Simeth has been named the recipient of the 2025 Men's Basketball Elite 13 Award, an honor announced prior to the CCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon.
- Three Broncos Receive All-CCAA HonorsThe Cal Poly Pomona Broncos have had standout performances this season, with Demarreya Lewis-Cooper and Jaden Winfield earning spots on the All-CCAA Second Team, while Shyheim Parm received an All-CCAA Honorable Mention.
