Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team put up a determined battle, but still came up short against the defending California Collegiate Athletic Association champs.

 

The Golden Eagles sliced a 13-point halftime deficit down to two points with less than six minutes remaining before falling to Chico State, 69-59, Friday night in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (4-20, 3-14 CCAA) was unsuccessful in its attempt to string together victories.

 

Chico State (14-10, 10-7 CCAA) led by only five points with 2:23 to play, but scored the final five points of the game, the last three on free throws in the final eight seconds of the game.

 

Jazzi Johnson and Joy Mason scored 14 points each for the Golden Eagles, while Amber Whittington added 11 points. Natasha Smith led three Wildcats in double figures with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Renee Goldoff had 18 points and eight rebounds and Christine Vest had 11 points and seven rebounds.

 

Cal State L.A. shot 39.6 percent for the game, including 45.8 percent in the second half. Chico State made 35.5 percent of its shots and only 29.7 percent in the second half.

 

The Wildcats enjoyed a 41-35 rebounding edge and forced 17 Cal State L.A. turnovers while committing only 11.

 

Chico State started quickly and scored the first seven points of the game before Whittington scored to get the Golden Eagles on the board. The Golden Eagles pulled to within two points, 18-16, after a layup by Johnson that followed a steal by Desiree Dominguez, but Chico State closed the half on a 16-5 run to open up a 34-21 halftime lead.

 

Cal State L.A. trailed by as many as 16 points, 38-22, after a free throw by Vest, but the Golden Eagles steadily chipped away at the deficit and got to within four points after a basket by Whittington, two 3-pointers by Mason, a basket by Sequoia Crandell and two free throws by Johnson accounted for a 10-0 run that made it 54-52 with 5:56 to go.

 

Chico State responded by scoring the next six points to bump its lead back to eight points, but Cal State L.A. rallied once again. Consecutive layups by Johnson and Whittington brought the Golden Eagles to within 60-56 with 4:09 left, but that was as close as Cal State L.A. would get.

 

Chico State allowed only three points the rest of the way.

 

Cal State L.A. will play its final home game of the season on Saturday against Cal State Stanislaus. The Golden Eagles will honor seniors Ashley Kitchen and Whittington in pregame ceremonies.