Box Score LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team suffered a loss that was certainly tough to swallow Friday night in the Eagles Nest.

The Golden Eagles were unable to hold a 12-point lead in the final 11 minutes and wound up losing to Chico State, 63-61, when the Wildcats were given two free throws after a loose ball foul with 2.5 seconds to play. Rashad Parker hit both free throws and Cal State L.A. was unable to get off a final shot in what was probably their most frustrating loss of the season.

Cal State L.A. (12-9, 9-8 CCAA) lost its third straight game and slipped into sixth place in the conference. Chico State (16-5, 12-5 CCAA) completed a season sweep of the Golden Eagles, although this one was nothing like the 29-point win the Wildcats enjoyed in Chico in the first meeting on Jan. 11.

Quinton Watkins and James Tillman were the offensive stalwarts in the game and both finished with 21 points. David Hall added five points and five rebounds.

Chico State got 17 points from Parker and 13 points each from Amir Carraway and Sean Park.

The Golden Eagles shot 42.9 percent for the game (21-of-49) and made half of their 10 attempts from 3-point range. Watkins hit 4-of-5 from long range, all four in a strong second-half performance.

Chico State shot 40.8 percent (20-of-49) and was just 4-of-19 from 3-point range. The Wildcats were 19-of-29 from the free-throw line, while the Golden Eagles were 14-of-22.

Cal State L.A. had a slim 34-32 rebounding edge and committed 12 turnovers to 10 for the Wildcats.

Cal State L.A., though, was stung by a big disparity in fouls, picking up 24 to only 14 for Chico State. Two costly loose ball fouls in the final three minutes accounted for the final four points of the game for the Wildcats.

The Golden Eagles led by as many as five points early in the first half and Chico State led by as many as four points in a tightly-played opening half. The Wildcats settled for a 30-29 halftime lead.

Cal State L.A. made a charge in the opening stages of the second half thanks largely to Watkins, who was unstoppable for a long stretch. His third 3-pointer of the half with 13:50 to go started a 10-0 run that extended a 44-42 lead to a 54-42 advantage after a three-point play by Hall with 10:50 to go.

The lead was still 12 at 56-44 after a layup by Tillman with 8:40 remaining, but Chico State crept back into the game and then suddenly pulled to within one point at 58-57 after back-to-back 3-pointers from Estrada. His first 3-pointer actually missed badly long and to the right, but it landed with a thud and flopped into the basket and his second on the next possession swished through to make it a one-point game.

Tillman made a layup to make it 60-57 with three minutes to go, but Estrada hit a layup to make it 60-59 with 2:50 remaining. That would be the last basket of the game for either team.

Tillman made one free throw for Cal State L.A. to make it 61-59 and Estrada tied it with two free throws with 1:30 remaining.

The Golden Eagles missed a shot but got the rebound before ultimately turning it over with 37 seconds to play and Parker got the fortuitous foul call in the waning seconds and hit the free throws that won it.

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday night with a home game against Cal State Stanislaus.