LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team kept to its winning ways on Saturday and clinched a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association for a second straight season.

The Golden Eagles won their seventh straight game with an 81-69 victory over Chico State in University Gym that gave them a two-game lead over the Wildcats for third place in the conference with four CCAA games remaining. Both Cal State LA (17-6, 14-4 CCAA) and Chico State (16-8, 12-6 CCAA) clinched spots in the six-team postseason tournament on Saturday with two spots still up for grabs.

Nicole Flennagh led a balanced Cal State LA attack with 18 points, including four more 3-pointers and Olivia Hodges had a sensational game with 16 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Hodges posted her second double-double in the past three games.

Myli Martinez led Chico State with 19 points, while Brandy Huffhines had 17 points.

Yesenia Smith had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Golden Eagles, while Lily Buggs had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals and Silivia Fonongaloa had 10 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals in her return to the lineup.

Cal State LA shot 46.6 percent for the game (27-of-58) and was 9-of-14 from 3-point range. Chico State shot 40 percent (26-of-65) and was 8-of-26 from 3-point range. The Golden Eagles were 18-of-24 from the free-throw line, including 14-of-17 in the fourth quarter while maintaining their lead. Chico State was 9-of-14. Cal State LA had a 40-30 rebounding edge and committed 17 turnovers to 16 for the Wildcats.

The first five baskets of the game were 3-pointers with Martinez opening the scoring, Flennaugh hitting two straight for a 6-3 lead, Huffhines with one to tie it at 6-6 and Ashley Orozco hitting one to give the Golden Eagles the lead. Cal State LA led by as many as nine points in the opening quarter before settling for a 23-20 lead.

A pair of 3-pointers by Amaya Fuentes and a basket by Flennaugh enabled the Golden Eagles to take a 33-23 lead and a basket by Fonongaloa gave the Golden Eagles their biggest lead of the first two quarters at 45-29 and they took a 45-31 lead into halftime.

Yesenia Smith hit a 3-pointer to open the second half to give the Golden Eagles a 48-31 advantage, but Chico State was able to slice the deficit to just six points by the end of the period at 59-53.

Chico State ultimately tied the game at 61-61 with 6:48 to go, but Hodges broke the tie with a basket, Flennaugh hit a pair of free throws, Nevaeh Asiasi hit a jumper, Hodges hit three of four free throws and Yesenia Smith hit a free throw to stretch the lead to 71-62 with 3:53 remaining.

Jada Johnson hit a pair of free throws to push the lead to 11 and Buggs made a steal and hit two free throws to put the game out of reach at 79-66 with one minute left.

Cal State LA will return to action with a road game at Cal State East Bay on Thursday.