Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team made the already close California Collegiate Athletic Association race even tighter Friday night with a big win over Chico State.
 
The Golden Eagles smothered the Wildcats in the first half and then withstood an attempted Chico State rally in the second half of a 66-60 win in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (15-8, 11-8 CCAA) knocked the Wildcats out of sole possession of first place and into a three-way tie for the lead. The Golden Eagles are now just two games out of first and one game out of fourth with three conference games remaining.
 
Cal State L.A. had an extremely efficient offensive performance in the win. The Golden Eagles shot a respectable 45.8 percent in the first half while building a 25-14 lead at halftime. Cal State L.A. then carved up Chico State's defense in the second half, making 15-of-21 field-goal attempts (71.4 percent) to keep the Wildcats at bay.
 
Chico State (19-6, 13-6 CCAA) tried to bounce back after making only 4-of-27 field-goal attempts in the first half (14.8 percent). The Wildcats were better in the second half, making 16-of-40 (40 percent). For the game, Cal State L.A. shot 57.8 percent (26-of-45), while Chico State made 29.9 percent (20-of-67).
 
The Golden Eagles won despite being out-rebounded, 44-27. Chico State had a 26-2 advantage in offensive boards, which enabled the Wildcats to stay within striking distance in the second half. Cal State L.A., though, was effective from the free-throw line, making 10-of-12, while Chico State was 14-of-20.
 
Ryan Wetherell scored a game-high 19 points to lead three Golden Eagles in double figures. Jordan Richard added 14 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks, while Leland Jones had 11 points and five rebounds.
 
Jordan Semple had 13 points and nine rebounds to lead Chico State, while Amir Carraway had 11 points and seven rebounds and Damario Sims had 10 points and five rebounds.
 
Cal State L.A. scored the first six points of the game and never trailed. Richard scored four quick points and Chris Robinson had a basket to stake the Golden Eagles to the early lead. The Wildcats got on the board on a layup by Jordan Barton, but the Golden Eagles scored the next six points on baskets by Jones, Wetherell and Carl Hoffman to open up a 12-2 lead at the halfway mark of the first half.
 
The Wildcats pulled to within two points at 14-12 after a 3-pointer by Sims, but Wetherell scored 11 straight points on a pair of 3-pointers, a three-point play and a basket to give the Golden Eagles a 25-12 lead. Cal State L.A. settled for a 25-14 halftime lead.
 
Chico State took advantage of some sloppy play to score six quick points to open the second half and eventually pulled to within two points, 33-31 after a 3-pointer by Semple. Bussey Ellis, though, responded with a 3-pointer to boost the lead back to five.
 
Chico State got to within two points twice more, the final time at 42-40, but the Golden Eagles pulled away again on baskets by Jones, Richard and Quinton Watkins to make it 48-40. A 3-pointer by Amir Carraway got the Wildcats to within five points, 52-47, but the Golden Eagles got the next nine points to put the game away. Wetherell scored on a layup, Richard scored on a dunk, Ellis hit a 3-pointer and Robinson knocked down two free throws to give the Golden Eagles a 61-47 with a little more than one minute to play.
 
Richard hit two free throws, Ellis hit a free throw and Wetherell hit two free throws to keep the advantage at eight points in the waning seconds before a Chico State layup before the buzzer accounted for the final margin.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday night with their final regular-season home game of the season against Cal State Stanislaus. It will be Senior Night and the Golden Eagles will honor seniors Ryan Wetherell, Bussey Ellis, Chris Robinson and Leland Jones.