Box Score
LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team came up big when it mattered most Saturday night in a key California Collegiate Athletic Association game.
The Golden Eagles fought back from a big second-half deficit for the second night in a row and beat UC San Diego, 64-62, in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (14-10, 10-10 CCAA) clinched a spot in the eight-team CCAA Championship Tournament with the victory.
The Golden Eagles are alone in sixth place with two road games remaining next week against Sonoma State and Humboldt State.
Franklin Session had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles, while
Chris Robinson had 20 points and four rebounds.
David Norris had the go-ahead basket with 1:20 to play and the Golden Eagle defense held the Tritons (11-15, 6-14 CCAA) without a basket over the final 4:40 of the game.
Cal State L.A. outscored UC San Diego, 12-3, down the stretch after a basket by Casey Ryan gave the Tritons a 59-52 lead.
Justin Brue had 17 points to lead UC San Diego, while Christian Hatch had 14 points and Ryan had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
The Golden Eagles shot 40.7 percent (24-of-59), while UC San Diego shot 48.9 percent (22-of-45). The Golden Eagles had a 33-31 rebounding edge and had a big advantage in turnovers, forcing 12 while committing only four.
The Tritons were 12-of-20 from the free-throw line, while the Golden Eagles were 12-of-20.
The Golden Eagles started well and held a 20-13 lead after a basket by
Carl Hoffman with eight minutes left in the first half. UC San Diego, though, battled back and tied the game at halftime, 26-26, after a basket by Brue at the buzzer.
UC San Diego continued its momentum into the second half and built its biggest lead of the game, 42-31, after a basket by Brue with 13:20 to go. The Tritons still led by 10 points, 53-43, with nine minutes left after a pair of free throws by James McCann.
The Golden Eagles, though, began forcing some turnovers with their press and steadily climbed back into the game. A pair of free throws by Norris made it 61-59 with three minutes left and Session got a steal and a layup to tie the game at 61-61 with two minutes to play.
Ryan made one free throw to give the Tritons a 62-61 lead, but a jumper by Norris put the Golden Eagles ahead for good, 63-62 with 1:20 left. Cal State L.A. then forced a turnover and Session maintained possession for the Golden Eagles after a missed shot by Robinson. Norris was fouled with 30 seconds left and made one free throw to make it 64-62.
Leland Jones grabbed a rebound of a missed UC San Diego shot with two seconds left to end it.
Cal State L.A. will return to action with a road game at Sonoma State on Wednesday.
