Fighting Cacti Defense Shines as Copper Mountain College Holds Off Mt. San Jacinto, 83–71

The Copper Mountain College men's basketball team continued its strong start to Inland Empire Athletic Conference play on Thursday night, earning an impressive 83–71 victory over Mt. San Jacinto College.

Mt. San Jacinto entered the contest as the IEAC's highest-scoring team, while Copper Mountain came in allowing the fewest points in conference play, setting up a compelling clash of styles. From the opening tip, it was the Fighting Cacti's defense that set the tone.

Using their disciplined match-up zone, Copper Mountain dictated the tempo and controlled where the ball moved on the floor. The defensive pressure frustrated the Eagles throughout the night, forcing difficult shots and disrupting their offensive rhythm. The Cacti carried that momentum into halftime, holding a 40–34 lead.

The second half followed a similar script, with Copper Mountain continuing to control the pace of play. Mt. San Jacinto briefly cut the deficit to six, but a timely three-pointer from Tyrece Rose halted the Eagles' run and quickly swung momentum back in favor of the Fighting Cacti. From there, Copper Mountain pushed the lead back into double digits and maintained control for the remainder of the game.

With the win, the Fighting Cacti extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 2–0 in IEAC play.

Copper Mountain College will look to keep the momentum rolling when the Fighting Cacti travel to San Bernardino Valley College for another conference matchup on Saturday, December 20, with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m.