Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team saw its unbeaten streak come to a crashing end Friday night.
 
The Golden Eagles fell behind by 18 points in the first half and never recovered in a 61-48 California Collegiate Athletic Association loss to Cal State San Bernardino in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (4-1, 1-1) had won its first four games, all by double-digit margins, but trailed from start to finish on Friday.
 
Cal State San Bernardino (3-0, 2-0 CCAA) won the game with a tenacious defensive effort that limited Cal State L.A. to just 35.3 percent shooting and with great efficiency at the free-throw line, where the Coyotes were 22-of-28.
 
Cal State L.A. didn't make its comeback effort any easier by making just 9-of-21 attempts from the free-throw line. The Golden Eagles were also just 3-of-17 from behind the 3-point arc.
 
Cal State San Bernardino also had a 35-26 rebounding edge. The two teams combined for 44 turnovers, 24 by the Coyotes and 20 by the Golden Eagles.
 
It was a struggle on offense all night for the Golden Eagles, who were just 6-of-23 in the opening half (26.1 percent) and managed only 14 points. The Coyotes, meanwhile, were 11-of-20 in the first half while opening up their big lead. The Golden Eagles held Cal State San Bernardino to only six second-half baskets, but the Coyotes were 15-of-20 from the line to thwart any Cal State L.A. comeback aspirations.
 
Theron Laudermill had 13 points and nine rebounds to lead three Coyotes in double figures. He was 11-of-12 from the line and also had a game-high nine rebounds. Johnny Bell had 11 points and eight rebounds, while Kwame Alexander had 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Ryan Wetherell and Quinton Watkins both had eight points for the Golden Eagles. Jordan Richard had seven points and three rebounds.
 
Cal State L.A. managed only four points in the first 10 minutes of the game and trailed, 18-4 after a tip-in by Laudermill. The Golden Eagles got to within eight points after baskets by Richard, Leland Jones and Carl Hoffman, but Cal State San Bernardino closed the half with a 14-4 run to open up the 32-14 halftime lead.
 
Cal State L.A. made a few runs in the second half, but Cal State San Bernardino answered each one. The Golden Eagles got a 3-pointer by Watkins and a basket by Wetherell to make it 36-25 with 15 minutes to go, only to see Tre Brewer counter with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 14 points, 39-25.
 
Two free throws by Watkins and a dunk by Marc Wilson pulled the Golden Eagles to within nine points at 44-35 with 7:40 to go, but the run was stopped by a pair of free throws by Laudermill and a basket by Alexander that boosted the lead back to 48-35. A 3-pointer by Cheyanne Alcala made it 53-43 with 1:45 remaining, but the Coyotes made their final eight free-throw attempts down the stretch to extend their advantage.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a home game against UC San Diego.