Box Score
LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team put a nice finishing touch on its lengthy homestand, but it certainly wasn't easy.
The Golden Eagles watched all of an eight-point halftime lead disappear before regrouping to post a 66-59 California Collegiate Athletic Association victory over Cal State Stanislaus Friday in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (8-2, 4-2 CCAA) completed an important home conference sweep over Chico State and Cal State Stanislaus.
Franklin Session scored 16 points and had seven rebounds to lead a balanced scoring attack.
Chris Robinson and
Ryan Wetherell scored 14 points each and
David Norris had his second consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He had 19 points and 20 rebounds in the win over Chico State on Thursday.
Reggie Jones had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead Cal State Stanislaus (3-7, 1-5 CCAA). He was limited to 24 minutes because of foul trouble. Dan Daviess had 10 points and four rebounds.
The Golden Eagles shot just 35.6 percent from the floor and were out-rebounded, 41-33, but they also forced 17 turnovers while committing only eight. Cal State L.A. also had a big edge at the free-throw line, going 27-of-41, while Cal State Stanislaus was 10-of-14. After taking the lead for good with four minutes remaining, Cal State L.A. was 8-of-10 from the line to put the game away.
The Golden Eagles led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but had to settle for an eight-point halftime edge. Cal State L.A.'s biggest lead came after a jumper by Wetherell that made it 30-17 with 3:40 remaining in the half. Cal State Stanislaus, though, whittled away at the lead and cut it to eight after a basket by Evan Scott that made it 33-25 at halftime.
Cal State L.A. still held an eight-point lead at 49-41 after a pair of free throws by Norris with 11 minutes remaining, but Cal State Stanislaus went on a 13-2 run to take the lead. The Warriors took their first lead at 51-50 after a layup by Scott and extended it to 54-51 after a 3-pointer by Brett Sayad with 5:50 remaining.
Cal State L.A., though, came right back with a basket by
Leland Jones to make it 54-53 and then regained the lead on a basket by Wetherell that made it 55-54 with four minutes left. That was the beginning of a 12-0 run that stretched over five minutes and ended with the Golden Eagles holding a secure 63-54 lead with less than a minute to play.
Norris came up big during the run, hitting a pair of free throws to make it 57-54 and then knocking down a big 3-pointer to make it 60-54. Norris hit two more free throws with 50 seconds left to make it 62-54 and Session added a free throw to make it 63-54 with 40 seconds remaining.
Jones scored five quick points for the Warriors to close the gap to 64-59 in the waning seconds, but Wetherell hit a pair of free throws to finish the scoring.
Cal State L.A. will return to action next Friday at Cal State Monterey Bay.
