Box Score LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team got off to a big early lead Saturday night and spent the remainder of a lengthy battle just trying to get to the final buzzer.

The Golden Eagles took control early and went on to a 65-51 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday night in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (12-6, 9-5 CCAA) won its second straight game and remained in a fourth-place tie in the CCAA with Cal State Stanislaus.

Quinton Watkins had 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while James Tillman had 13 points and three rebounds. Duce Zaid added eight points.

Isaiah Smith had 12 points to lead Cal State Monterey Bay (6-11, 4-10 CCAA).

Cal State L.A. shot 44.2 percent (23-of-52) and held Cal State Monterey Bay to just 28.8 percent shooting (15-of-52). The Golden Eagles also had a 48-33 rebounding edge.

The Golden Eagles, though, committed 22 turnovers to just 14 for the Otters and were just 16-of-33 from the free-throw line. Cal State Monterey Bay was 21-of-38 from the line in a game that had 59 personal fouls.

The Golden Eagles trailed only once, at 1-0, after a free throw by Cal State Monterey Bay's Kris Gallop. The Golden Eagles then went on an 15-1 run to take command. Xavier Jones scored inside to start the run and a jumper by Aaron Alston made it 4-1. After a free throw by Brandon Cole made it 4-2, Watkins made a layup and a 3-pointer to open up a 9-2 edge. Two free throws by Tillman, a jumper by Jones and two free throws by Solomon Singer gave the Golden Eagles an early 15-2 lead.

The Golden Eagles led by as many as 20 points in the first half after a 3-pointer by Joshua Munzon made it 29-9 and settled for a 34-21 halftime lead.

The Otters got to within 12 points early in the second half, but Watkins hit a 3-pointer and Alston hit a jumper to extend the lead back to 39-22. The Golden Eagles took their biggest lead of the game, 51-30, after a tip-in by Watkins with 9:30 to go and led comfortably the rest of the way. The Otters pulled to within 13 points, 62-49, but only 1:20 remained and the Golden Eagles got a pair of free throws by Zaid to stop the surge.

Cal State L.A. will return to action next Friday with a road game at Sonoma State.