CARSON -- Cal State LA's men's basketball team got more than just a little defensive Saturday in a key California Collegiate Athletic Association game at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Golden Eagles played with tremendous intensity from start to finish and recorded an impressive 77-57 win over the Toros in the Torodome. Cal State LA (11-8, 7-6 CCAA) was coming off a pair of disappointing home losses last week, but the Golden Eagles took firm control of the game late in the first half and simply never let up. Cal State LA pulled to within one game of third place in a tightly-packed CCAA race.

Fard Muhammad had a tremendous game for the Golden Eagles and poured in a game-high 22 points with an outstanding shooting display. He was 7-for-9 overall and 4-for-6 from 3-point range in 20 electrifying minutes. For good measure, he hit all four of his free throws.

Anthony Fitzpatrick had 13 points and six rebounds, Ja'Sean Lewis had 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals and Devin Means had 11 points while hitting 6-of-8 free-throw attempts.

Gabriel Hicks had a team-high 19 points for Cal State Dominguez Hills (9-8, 7-5 CCAA), but he was the only Toro to reach double figures.

Kenneth Cyprian had six points, including a key 3-pointer in the second half that put an end to a Toro run.

Cal State LA shot 42.6 percent overall (23-of-54) and was 12-of-28 from 3-point range. The Golden Eagles were especially efficient in the second half when they shot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) and hit 7-of-12 from 3-point range. The Golden Eagles held the Toros to just 38.8 percent shooting (19-of-49) and limited them to just 3-of-18 from 3-point range. Cal State LA was 19-of-26 from the free-throw line, while Cal State Dominguez Hills was 16-of-24.

Cal State LA was out-rebounded, 37-33, but forced 22 turnovers while committing just 12. Lewis had four steals and Shacquille Dawkins had three as part of 13 steals for the Golden Eagles in the contest.

The Golden Eagles started well and led nearly from start to finish. Holding a 22-21 lead, the Golden Eagles closed the first half with a 9-3 run to take a 31-24 halftime lead. A 3-pointer to open the second half from Muhammad gave the Golden Eagles a 34-24 lead and the Toros never recovered. After Cal State Dominguez Hills pulled to within six points at 43-37, 3-pointers by Cyprian and Muhammad and a basket from Fitzpatrick pushed the lead back to 51-37 and Cal State LA kept a comfortable lead the rest of the way.

The Golden Eagles saw their lead sliced to nine points with nine minutes to go, but five straight points by Muhammad, including a 3-pointer, extended the lead back to 58-44 with 7:50 to go and they maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Cal State LA will return to action on Thursday with a road game at San Francisco State.