The 2004-2005 SF State men’s basketball team fell two wins short of qualifying for the NCAA Division II tournament this season, finishing 15-12 overall and 12-8 against CCAA teams. The Gators ended the season tied for fifth with Cal State Bakersfield in the CCAA while the top four teams in the conference qualified.

“We lost a few key games here and there,” said Gator assistant coach Ben Wilson. “It was definitely an above average season, but the goal is always to make it to the postseason.”

The Gators finished the season on a high note, winning their last three games and ending the season above .500 in both conference and overall play for only the second time in the last 10 years.

The Gators were led this year by senior guards Ryan Cleaves and Mike Dyer and freshman forward Joe Roberson. Cleaves averaged 14 points a game, shot an astounding 49 percent from the field and recorded 49 steals this season. Cleaves, the senior leader on the team, orchestrated the offense and played a pivotal role in the team's late season march toward the tournament.

“Ryan was our floor general all season long,” Roberson said. “It's definitely going to be tough to replace a guy like that.”

Dyer, who played the role of the “sixth man,” was a critical component on this year’s team. He averaged 12.4 points a game off the bench and was the team’s most dependable free throw shooter at 80 percent. Dyer's three-point shooting and free throw shooting helped the Gators all year long, most notably his free throws in the final minute against Cal State Monterey Bay, securing the win for the Gators.

Roberson, the Gators’ lone freshmen, led the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.1 points a game and 8.1 rebounds. On top of that, he led the team with 64 steals and 897 minutes. The 6’4, 200-pound forward bullied and hustled his way around defenders in the paint, becoming the team’s most dependable player on the boards this year.

“I've always played a lot of minutes, so I'm pretty used to being out there all game,” Roberson said.

The Gators played well against the top teams in the conference, splitting the two-game series with third-place Chico State and Cal State San Bernardino, who finished second in the conference. They also managed to sweep Sonoma State, who finished 13-7 in the CCAA, just one win better than the Gators. However, they were swept by conference champions Cal Poly Pomona and lost a critical late season game to Cal State Bakersfield.

“It gives us confidence going into next season," said forward Oscar Edwards. "We know we can make it happen.”

The Gators had a chance to make the NCAA Division II tournament going into the last month of the season. They made a valiant effort, pulling off seven wins in their last 10 games. However, the losses to Chico State and Cal State Bakersfield at the end of February sealed their fate.

“Overall, I think this season was a success,” Roberson said. “We lost some games early in the season, but we beat San Bernardino and they're one of the top teams in the nation.”

Replacing seniors Cleaves, Dyer and center David Hungerford will be a challenge for the coaching staff for next year’s team, but the Gators have a solid core unit returning. Roberson, point guard Zack Johnson, Edwards and senior forward Matt Otten, who was injured this season, will lead next year’s squad.