Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team had its best offensive showing in California Collegiate Athletic Association play Friday night and the Golden Eagles needed it.
 
The Golden Eagles engaged San Francisco State in a rare offensive battle and beat the Gators, 82-71, in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (11-4, 7-4 CCAA) came into the game with the nation's fourth best defense, but surrendered a season-high 71 points to San Francisco State (4-13, 2-9 CCAA).
 
Fortunately for the Golden Eagles, they had four players reach double figures in scoring and were able to clamp down on the defensive end in the second half. The Golden Eagles, after giving up 43 first-half points, limited the Gators to just 27.3 percent shooting in the second half and 28 points.

With the victory, Cal State L.A. pulled into a five-way tie for second place in the conference with Cal Poly Pomona, Chico State, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Humboldt State, just one game behind first-place Cal State San Bernardino.
 
Carl Hoffman led the way with a career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. Ryan Wetherell added 16 points and four assists, Leland Jones had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double and Chris Robinson had 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Nefi Perdomo led San Francisco State with 19 points, while Max Fodor had 14 points and Casey James chipped in with 13.
 
Cal State L.A. shot 45.9 percent for the game (28-of-61), while San Francisco State finished at 30.7 percent (25-of-63). The Golden Eagles and Gators both shot well in the first half, which ended with Cal State L.A. holding a 44-43 lead. Both teams shot 53.3 percent with identical 16-of-30 shooting lines.
 
Cal State L.A. enjoyed a 47-36 rebounding edge, while the Gators committed only eight turnovers to just 10 for the Golden Eagles.
 
The Golden Eagles were 24-of-41 from the free-throw line, while the Gators were 14-of-21.
 
Quinton Watkins added nine points for Cal State L.A., while Jordan Richard had eight points and six rebounds.
 
The game was close throughout a fast-paced first half. The contest was tied eight times before the Golden Eagles were able to surge to a seven-point lead, 36-29, after a pair of free throws by Jones. A layup by Wetherell gave the Golden Eagles a 44-41 lead late in the half, but a basket by Daniel Trammel made it 44-43 at halftime.
 
Cal State L.A. never trailed in the second half, but the Gators were always lurking. A 3-pointer by Watkins and a basket by Wetherell gave Cal State L.A. a 58-48 lead, but the Gators sliced the deficit to four points, 58-54, after a pair of free throws  by Perdomo.
 
The Golden Eagles then got a three-point play by Hoffman, another layup by Hoffman and a jumper by Watkins to take an 11-point lead, 65-54, with nine minutes to go. Again, though, the Gators battled back and cut the margin to five points, 70-65, after a free throw by Perdomo with five minutes remaining.
 
Baskets by Watkins and Robinson stopped the run and built the lead back to nine points, 74-65, with two minutes left. After the Gators closed to within six points, Bussey Ellis knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Golden Eagles an eight-point edge, 76-68, with 40 seconds to go. Cal State L.A. then got four free throws by Wetherell and two from Richard to close out the game.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a home game against Cal Poly Pomona.