RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside took a 10-point lead into halftime at the CBU Events Center on Wednesday night, but fell 65-60 to California Baptist in the Crosstown Showdown. 

Vladimer Salaridze drew an offensive foul under the basket midway through the first half and knocked down a pair of free throws as UC Riverside came within a point early. For the majority of the first half though, UCR and CBU put up plenty of fouls and not enough made field goals. Salaridze drained the Highlanders' first three of the evening with five minutes left to tie a defensive clinic at 19. 

Salaridze, who matched a season high in the first half with 12 points and finished with 16, made it three consecutive buckets for the Highlanders after a reverse under the basket and a corner three gave UC Riverside its largest lead of the game at 24-20. UCR ultimately stretched it to a 14-1 run over three minutes as the Georgian international essentially over the first half from an offensive stalemate. 

UC Riverside ended the half on a 15-4 run after both teams struggled to make a shot for the better part of the first half. 

California Baptist roared out of halftime to grab the lead, but Zyon Pullin put a stop to it a la Salaridze with three consecutive buckets to put the Highlanders back out in front, 44-42. Kyle Owens and Jamal Hartwell II soon after put their stamp on the Crosstown Showdown with a pair of threes. 

Pullin became just the fourth Highlander to log 300 career assists after dishing out seven on top of his team-high 19 points. 

CBU slowly crawled back into the contest as the clock wound down, as a missed free throw from Pullin and missed three from Flynn Cameron would not see UCR finish the game out. Cameron grabbed eight rebounds for the second consecutive outing. 

UC Riverside will remain on the road after a week and a half off, next traveling to Idaho on December 11 for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff on ESPN+.