Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team had a much-needed California Collegiate Athletic Association victory in its grasp, but let it get away Saturday night.

 

The Golden Eagles held a 14-point lead in the second half, but were unable to hold it in a disappointing 73-69 loss to Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday night in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (12-10, 8-10 CCAA) is now in a three-way for sixth place in the conference with Cal State Monterey Bay (9-13, 7-11 CCAA) just one game further back.

 

The top eight teams qualify for the CCAA Championship Tournament.

 

The short-handed Golden Eagles, still without two injured starters, led by 10 points, 40-30, at halftime and by 14 points, 46-32, with 18 minutes to play. Cal State L.A. still had a 10-point advantage at 62-52, with seven minutes to play, but Cal State Monterey Bay scored the next nine points to set up a frantic finish. A pair of free throws by David Norris put the Golden Eagles ahead, 66-63, with two minutes left, but a three-point play by Davion Berry with 1:10 left put the Otters ahead for good, 68-66. A free throw by Carl Hoffman made it 68-67, but Berry connected on a tough fallaway jumper to boost the lead back to three at 70-67.

 

An offensive rebound basket by Norris got the Golden Eagles to within one again at 70-69, but Derrick Anderson hit a pair of free throws and, after a missed Cal State L.A. 3-pointer, Brandon Ward hit one free throw for the Otters with five seconds left to wrap things up.

 

Franklin Session scored 23 points and had seven rebounds for the Golden Eagles, while Hoffman had 21 points and nine rebounds. Norris finished with 13 points and six rebounds.

 

Berry finished with 24 points to lead the Otters, while Warren Freeman came off the bench to score 21. Darroll Phillips had 12 points and Ward finished with 10 points.

 

The Golden Eagles shot 47.2 percent for the game, including 51.6 percent in the first half. Cal State Monterey Bay finished at 47.4 percent and shot 53.3 percent in the second half and knocked down four of seven 3-point tries in the second half.

 

The Golden Eagles held a slim 34-30 rebounding edge, but committed 10 turnovers to only seven for the Otters.

 

Session had 21 points and Hoffman had 12 in the first half while helping the Golden Eagles build a 10-point halftime lead. Cal State L.A. took its biggest lead of the first half, 40-25, after a 3-pointer by Session and a layup by Hoffman off an assist from Trevor Hopkins. Berry, though, scored on a jumper and, after a turnover, hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to slice the lead to 40-30.

 

The Golden Eagles took a 46-32 lead after another Hoffman layup off a Hopkins assist and a 3-pointer by Hopkins kept the lead at 10, 54-44, with 13:20 to play. The Golden Eagles took another 10-point lead after two free throws by Hopkins, but the Otters responded with their 9-0 run to climb back into the game.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action next Friday with a home game against Cal State East Bay.