LAS VEGAS (Dec. 19) -- Despite an 11-point halftime lead and finishing with three players with 20 points or more, Seattle Pacific University succumbed to a second-half onslaught by Cal State San Bernardino and lost its opening men's basketball game of the High Desert Classic, 101-93, at McDermott Center Friday afternoon.

Jonathan Levy and Curtis Williams combined for 31 points in the second period and the Coyotes (5-1) shot 66 percent from the field after halftime to win their fourth straight. Levy, 6-foot-4 senior, came off the bench for a game-high 32 points, 17 in the second half, while Williams finished with 17 points.

Seattle Pacific (4-4), playing its sixth straight game on the road, was paced by the career-high 26 points and 13 rebounds of center Jason Chivers (Jr., 6-8, Los Angeles). Jordan Lee (Jr., 6-2, Tacoma, Wa./Life Christian) had 25 points and Dustin Bremerman (Fr., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) 20 and, combined, the pair connected on eight three-pointers.

After the Falcons went in front 54-43 on a Bremerman trey early in the second half, San Bernardino responded with a 14-3 burst to take the lead. Williams scored eight of the points, including two of his four second-half three-pointers. Levy and Williams then scored eight points on a 10-3 run which gave the Coyotes control and an 86-76 lead with 4:45 left.

CSUSB hit seven of 11 three-pointers in the second half while erupting for 63 points. It also outscored SPU 48-16 inside. The Coyotes' bench accounted for 60 points.

Chivers andLee scored 16 and 12 points, respectively, in the first period. A trey by Lee gave the Falcons their biggest lead, 32-19. Seattle Pacific shot 52 percent from the field and 8-14 three-pointers in the opening half.

It was the first time three SPU players had scored at least 20 points in two seasons. Other than Chivers, Lee and Bremerman -- who shot a combined 23-39 -- only Ralph Steele (Jr., 6-2, N. Birmingham, Al.), with 14 points, finished in double figures. Chivers has recorded double doubles in four straight games.

SPU faces unbeaten Washburn (Ks.) in the second round of the tournament Saturday at 12 noon. The Ichabods defeated St. Mary's (Tx.) 79-71 Friday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC -- Bushmaker 0-1 0-0 0, Bremerman 6-10 5-5 20, Chivers 9-15 7-10 26, Lee 8-14 4-4 25, Binetti 0-4 3-4 3, Steele 4-11 4-4 14, Knudson 1-3 3-4 5, Beede 0-0 0-0 0, Ch. Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Cohen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-59 26-31 93.

CS SAN BERNARDINO -- Yaisrael 0-2 0-0 0, Swan 0-2 0-0 0, Jones 7-10 1-1 15, Reed 3-5 2-3 9, Cu. Williams 6-12 0-0 17, Eddings 2-6 8-8 12, Levy 11-15 8-11 32, Graham 0-1 0-0 0, Dural 1-1 0-0 2, Martin 4-9 6-7 14. Totals 34-63 25-30 101.

Halftime -- SPU 49, CSSB 38. 3-Point goals-SPU 11-24 (Lee 5-7, Bremerman 3-5, Steele 2-4, Chivers 1-3, Knudson 0-2, Ch. Williams 0-1), CSSB 8-19 (Cu. Williams 5-8, Levy 2-3, Reed 1-1, Swan 0-2, Yaisrael 0-1, Eddings 0-4). Rebounds-SPU 32 (Chivers 13), CSSB 32 (Martin 10). Assists-SPU 16 (Lee 5), CSSB 20 (Reed 11). Total fouls-SPU 27. CSSB 26. Fouled out-Lee.