NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 7, 2026) — The College of Southern Nevada men's basketball team saw a tightly contested first half slip away as Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters pulled away for an 86–68 win Saturday afternoon at the Coyote Event Center in ACCAC play.
CSN used a balanced attack in the opening minutes to build intensity on both ends of the floor. After trading baskets early and trading leads through the first 10 minutes, the Coyotes took a narrow 35–32 advantage into halftime by mixing interior scoring and second-chance opportunities while holding Eastern Arizona to 34.3 percent shooting before the break.
The complexion of the game shifted after intermission, however, as Eastern Arizona came out of the locker room with renewed defensive pressure and improved offensive rhythm. The Gila Monsters opened the second half on a run that transformed a three-point deficit into a lead they would not relinquish. Eastern Arizona shot over 60 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes and repeatedly converted in transition and in the paint, gradually extending the lead.
Eastern Arizona finished the game with a 45–40 rebounding advantage and tallied 40 points in the paint while generating 18 points off turnovers. Their second-half surge helped push the margin into double figures midway through the stanza.
The Coyotes received a strong effort from Ivoryon Cuffee, who paced the team with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting and made all four of his free-throw attempts. Drake Watanabe added 12 points, using his perimeter shooting to keep CSN competitive in stretches, and Maximus Romero chipped in 11 points while dishing three assists. Qualib Ghallab anchored the glass with a double-double, finishing with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
CSN shot 39.1 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc for the game. The Coyotes recorded 17 assists but were limited in their ability to convert turnovers into points as Eastern Arizona tightened defensively in the second half.
CSN will now turn its attention to its next ACCAC challenge, traveling to face Central Arizona College Vaqueros on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in Coolidge, Ariz., looking to bounce back on the road.
For complete schedules, statistics, and updates, visit www.csncoyotes.com
