DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Malik Maitland scored 21 points as Bethune-Cookman defeated Cal Poly 67-53 Tuesday night on Coach Cy Court in Historic Moore Gym.
Shawntrez Davis had 19 points and ten rebounds as the Wildcats (5-5) fended off a Mustang (4-6) rally to snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 4-1 at home this season.
The Mustangs scored 11 unanswered points to make it a 55-52 game on a Donovan Fields three-pointer with 5:07 left.
Davis scored five of Bethune-Cookman's next seven points as the Wildcats closed the game on a 12-1 run.
Maitland also had six assists and four rebounds in his second straight 20-point night.
Leading 35-31 at halftime, the Wildcats held the Mustangs to 2 of 10 shooting in the first nine minutes of the second half to open up a 54-38 lead on Maitland's three-pointer with 10:36 remaining.
Josh Martin led Cal Poly with 19.
Bethune-Cookman led practically the entire first half after scoring the game's first six points, including a Houston Smith slam that made it 6-0 two minutes into the contest.
Cal Poly tied at it 12-12 on a Josh Martin three-pointer with 14:29 left, but Maitland and Davis canned consecutive three-pointers for an 18-12 Wildcat lead.
Twice Cal Poly cut it to one, the last on a Mark Crowe tip-in that made it 32-31 with 1:15 remaining. Davis made a free throw and a lay-up off a Maitland at the buzzer to give Bethune-Cookman a 35-31 halftime lead.
Isaiah Bailey added 11 points for the Wildcats, while Soufiyane Diakite and Smith each posted 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats begin a four-game road trip Thursday at USF.
HEAD COACH RYAN RIDDER
"Proud of the guys tonight. In the past, we've competed and didn't get the result. The guys were focused on getting the win."
"Defense was the story tonight. We held them to 33 percent and controlled the pace."
"The guys are getting more comfortable in their roles. Malik's always been a scorer and now we're leaning on him a little bit more. He's rising to the challenge."
SHAWNTREZ DAVIS
"Down the stretch, we were communicating and rotating. We were helping each other out. It's big to have Soufiyane and Houston reach double figures in rebounds."
MALIK MAITLAND
"I understand my role and I'm understanding my teammates."
NOTES: This was Davis' sixth double-double of the season … Smith made his first collegiate start … Diakite matched his Jacksonville total of 11 boards for his season high … Maitland's 6-10 from 3FG the last two games … Cal Poly's 53 points was the lowest offensive output for an opponent this season; the Mustangs made just 3 of 25 three-pointers …The Wildcats had a 48-36 rebounding advantage.
