Keelhaulers dominate Lincoln (CA) in non-conference finale; win-and-you’re-in situation awaits CSUM on Saturday

HAYWARD, Calif. – All Keelhaulers who played in Thursday's non-conference finale at Lincoln (CA) scored at least four points and no CSUM player scored more than Daniel Andreyev and Aidan Kwan's season-high and career-high (respectively) 11 as Cal Maritime dominated this road contest from the opening tip, until the final buzzer, to defeat the Oaklanders by a 97-74 score.

Since Simpson lost at Westcliff on Thursday, and La Sierra dropped its home game to UC Merced, there is a three-way tie in the conference standings entering the Saturday, the final day of the regular season.

Two berths at next week's Cal Pac Men's Basketball Championship are up for grabs between Cal Maritime, the Red Hawks and Golden Eagles. Coincidentally, Saturday's 8:30 p.m. Senior Night matchup versus Pacific Union and Simpson at La Sierra are the league's last two games of the year.

This makes Cal Maritime's situation on Saturday a straightforward one: win, and you advance to the playoffs.

In their penultimate game, the Keelhaulers shot 60 percent from the floor (40-for-66) and 31 percent from three (9-for-29) while limiting Lincoln (CA) to 38 and 27 percent shooting.

Even though the Oaklanders did themselves no favor by making 59 percent of their free throws (13-for-22), Cal Maritime made the most of its opportunities by canning 8 of 10 shots at the line.

Not only did the Keelhaulers own the paint — they recorded 50 points underneath the basket compared to Lincoln's 26, and finished with a plus-20 overall rebound margin — CSUM's bench scored 61 points versus the Oaklanders' 15.

Those 61 points are the highest recorded by Cal Maritime's reserves since it finished with 68 in its season opener, a game that fans saw the 'Haulers score 135.

Cal Maritime also committed a season-low four turnovers and earned 22 assists on its 40 baskets.

Lincoln's lone highlight took place early in the game when it led by a game-high five points with 14:53 remaining in the first half. From that point on, the Keelhaulers dominated play on both ends of the court to build momentum entering Saturday's 8:30 p.m. showdown against rival Pacific Union.