NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The UC Riverside men's basketball team (13-7, 8-4 Big West) capped off one of the most remarkably odd seasons Saturday night in one of the most remarkably perfect ways. 
 
In a pandemic-ridden year of ups and downs that almost identically mirrored the final weekend of the regular season, Saturday's 66-65 win at CSUN that included a 17-point comeback was a continuation of the resilience and poise in which UCR head coach Mike Magpayo's players have carried themselves.
 
"Our guys have been very bold in the standard they've set for themselves all year," Magpayo said, "and have continued to meet it every day with a no-excuses mentality. That's what gives us a chance to always survive and advance."
 
UCR started the evening less than ideally, but found their way back into the game with back-to-back threes from Flynn Cameron and Daniel Mading, thus cutting CSUN's lead to 21-10 midway through the first half and starting a 10-2 run that included a perfect 4-of-4 clip from the free throw line. Mading finished the half with seven of his season-high nine points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting and five rebounds. 
 
Free throws were the saving grace for UCR in the first half, as the Highlanders went 13 of 15 from the charity stripe with four each coming from Cameron and Angus McWilliam, who made his second straight start after not starting all of this year. The two combined to go a perfect 8 of 8 from the stripe in the opening 20 minutes. 
 
Meanwhile, Zyon Pullin hit a key floater at the 2:42 mark and converted the and-one to drop a once-17-point lead down to just 33-26 before assisting on Cameron's second three of the night right before the halftime buzzer. 
 
"It was a great play call by our team and we executed," said Cameron, who put up a season-high 18 points in the win. "Everyone on our team is talented enough to perform on any given night and that's what gives us confidence."
 
UCR's performance and execution on the defensive end was the glue on a single-point deficit in the second half. The Highlanders held CSUN scoreless for a two minute stretch in the second half and cold from beyond – defensive pressure that allowed UC Riverside to pull within 46-44 on a Cameron layup at the 13:25 mark and 51-50 after Jock Perry sank back-to-back hook shots a few minutes later. 
 
Wil Tattersall drained a clutch three at the 2:01 mark from Zyon Pullin to pull UCR within 63-62 on an 11-2 run in which the Highlanders went 5 of 9 from the floor. In another almost a mirror image of Friday night, Saturday's season finale came down to the wire that had its kinks straightened out when Perry put UCR ahead, 66-65, for the first time – and for good. 
"The win speaks volumes to what type of guys we have in our program," Cameron said. "We have a great group of people who are ready to work every day. We've got a lot of character and grit and it showed this weekend."
 
With the regular season wrapped up, the Highlanders now turn their attention to Las Vegas and the Big West Championship, March 9-13 at the Michelob Ultra Arena.