Box Score
LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team saw its bid for five wins over a grueling eight-day stretch come up short Saturday night.
San Francisco State and an inspired Gator effort saw to that, limiting the Golden Eagles to just 35 percent shooting and snapping Cal State L.A.'s four-game winning streak, 54-45, in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (9-3, 5-2 CCAA) fell out of the top spot in the conference with the loss.
Dwayne Jones had a solid game for the Golden Eagles with 22 points and eight rebounds, but he was the only Cal State L.A. player to reach double figures.
Carl Hoffman had seven points and six rebounds, while
Nuno Furtado had six points and seven rebounds.
Chris Fields, the leading scorer in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, was held to four points and five rebounds.
Tim Pratt had 13 points and seven rebounds to lead the Gators, while Phoenix O'Rourke had 10 points, two rebounds and three assists. San Francisco State (11-4, 4-3 CCAA), which has more wins than any team in the conference, earned a weekend split with the victory.
Cal State L.A., which had beaten UC San Diego, Cal State East Bay, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Monterey Bay to start the five-game in eight-day stretch, hurt itself at the free-throw line. The Golden Eagles made only six of 18 attempts and were only 5-of-14 in the second half.
The Golden Eagles limited San Francisco State to just 37 percent shooting and also earned a 42-36 rebounding edge, but they were unable to climb out of a 13-point second-half hole. Cal State L.A. pulled to within five points with 1:52 to go, but couldn't get any closer.
Cal State L.A. never was able to get untracked against San Francisco State's aggressive defense. The Golden Eagles fell behind quickly, 9-4, before pulling into an 11-11 tie after five straight points by Jones. Cal State L.A. took what would be its last lead of the game at 15-13 following a jumper by
Mark Dorsey with seven minutes to go in the half. A basket by Hoffman tied the game at 17-17, but San Francisco State took a 23-20 halftime lead.
A basket and free throw by Furtado tied the game for a final time at 23-23 with 18:43 to go, but San Francisco State scored the next 13 points to take control of the game.
Cal State L.A. closed to within six points, 41-35, after two free throws and a jumper by Jones with 8:33 to go, but San Francisco State once again responded with baskets by Pratt and Marquel Hoskins to boost its lead back to 10 points.
Jones hit a 3-pointer and then made one of two free throws to cut the gap to 48-43 with 1:52 to go, but Pratt knocked down a 3-pointer to just 20 seconds later to extend the lead back to eight points. San Francisco State missed some free throws down the stretch to keep the Golden Eagles hanging around, but, after a layup by Jones made it a six-point game, 51-45, three free throws by Hoskins completed the win for the Gators.
Cal State L.A. will now plays its next four games on the road, beginning with a contest at Cal State San Bernardino next Friday night.
