March 14, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- Larry Gordon had game-highs of 28 points and 10 rebounds, leading Cal Poly Pomona to an 80-72 triumph Saturday over Seattle Pacific University in the concluding game of a West Sub-Regional of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the campus of Western Washington University.

The Broncos, the No.3 seed in the West Region, improved to 22-7 and face the winner of tonight's BYU Hawaii-Cal State Dominguez Hills contest at Laie, Hawaii, on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Seattle Pacific concluded its season 19-10. Guard Brandon Larrieu led the Falcons with 22 points. Rob Diederichs and Jeff Downs each added 13.

Gordon, the California Collegiate Athletic Association MVP who matched his career-high in scoring for the second straight night, was 11-of-12 from the field, helping the Broncos shoot 66.7 percent (30-of-45) for the game, and also added a team-high five assists.

Cal Poly Pomona led 32-28 at halftime, and led the entire second half, twice opening up a 12-point lead. Seattle Pacific staged a late rally, narrowing the margin to five, 75-70, with 43 seconds left and getting the ball back on a turnover, but Adam Wardell missed two free throws, and Walter Thompson hit a fast-break layin at the other end with 29 seconds to go, putting the game out of reach.

Thompson finished with 18 points on 5-of-5 field-goal shooting, and forward Tobias Jahn had 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. It was the 13th triumph in the last 14 games for the Broncos.