COOLIDGE, Ariz. (Feb. 11, 2026) — The College of Southern Nevada men's basketball team erased a halftime deficit with an efficient second-half surge to defeat Central Arizona College Vaqueros, 81–77, Wednesday night in ACCAC play.
Trailing 35–33 at the break, the Coyotes responded with their most efficient half of the season, shooting 59.3 percent from the field over the final 20 minutes while outscoring Central Arizona 48–42 to secure the road victory.
The opening half featured six lead changes and steady interior play from both sides. CSN leaned heavily on its presence in the paint, keeping pace despite going 0-for-7 from three-point range in the first half. Central Arizona built its largest first-half lead at 11 points before the Coyotes chipped away late, cutting the margin to two on a layup by Demarion Yap with 27 seconds remaining before halftime.
The tone shifted in the second half as CSN's offensive rhythm improved dramatically. Drake Watanabe ignited the perimeter attack, connecting on all three of his second-half three-point attempts and finishing with 14 points. Meanwhile, the Coyotes continued to establish control inside, scoring 46 points in the paint for the game and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities.
Qualib Ghallab delivered a dominant performance, leading all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting while adding a game-high 13 rebounds. Ghallab scored 12 points in the second half and repeatedly converted through contact to help the Coyotes take control in the final minutes.
Gerald Patterson added 12 points, and Demarion Yap finished with 11 points and four assists. Off the bench, Maximus Romero contributed 10 points and five assists, while Ivoryon Cuffee added nine points and helped seal the game at the free-throw line in the closing seconds.
With under two minutes remaining, CSN extended its lead to seven points on a layup by Watanabe. Central Arizona responded with a late three-pointer to cut the margin to two, but the Coyotes converted key free throws down the stretch to close out the win. CSN finished 18-of-24 at the line, including 13-of-16 in the second half.
The Coyotes shot 49.2 percent from the field overall and outrebounded Central Arizona 39–29.
CSN returns home tomorrow night to host Cochise College Apaches at 7:30 p.m. in ACCAC action at the Coyote Event Center in North Las Vegas.
For complete schedules, statistics, and updates, visit www.csncoyotes.com
