LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's men's basketball team came up with a scintillating second-half performance to win a game it desperately needed to have.

The Golden Eagles erupted for 51 second-half points and surged past Stanislaus State, 84-68, Thursday night in University Gym in a battle between teams fighting to earn entry into the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. Cal State LA (10-13, 7-10 CCAA) moved into a three-way tie with Cal Poly Pomona and Stanislaus State (9-14, 7-10 CCAA), just one-half game back of seventh-place Cal State Monterey Bay and one game back of San Francisco State and Chico State, who are tied for fifth.

The top six teams will reach the CCAA Tournament.

It was a tale of two halves for the Golden Eagles, who shot just 34 percent in the first half, but a fantastic 68 percent in the second half, hitting 21 of 31 attempts. Cal State LA was just 4-of-20 from 3-point range in the first half, but 7-of-11 in the second half. 

Dominic Escobar poured in a career-high 27 points to lead the way, 16 of them coming in the second half. Alexander Sokol had 17 points and knocked down 5-of-10 of his 3-point attempts. He scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half. Shane Bell also had a strong game with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Kobe Ordonio had 18 points to lead three Warriors in double figures. Mahda Fallay had 13 points and Marlon Short had 12.

Jared Pearre had eight points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks for the Golden Eagles, while Kyjuan Cannady had seven points and two assists.

Cal State LA finished the game shooting 50 percent (33-of-66) and 11-of-31 from 3-point range (35.5 percent). Stanislaus State shot 43.9 percent (25-of-57) and was just 5-of-20 from 3-point range. Cal State LA was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, while Stanislaus State was 13-of-16. Cal State LA was out-rebounded, 36-28, but committed only nine turnovers to 16 for Stanislaus State.

The Golden Eagles trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half before a layup by Escobar made it 41-33 at halftime. 

Cal State LA finally caught Stanislaus State on a layup by Escobar with 14:39 to go and took their first lead of the second half on a 3-pointer by Deuce Walker with 13:21 to go. After the Warriors grabbed the lead right back, a 3-pointer by Jaden Lazo gave the Golden Eagles a 53-51 lead and a jumper by Sokol made it 55-51. After a 3-pointer by Jeremiah Jones cut the margin to 55-54, a 3-pointer by Sokol stretched the lead to 58-54. The Golden Eagles then answered a basket by Ordonio with a 10-0 run and took a 68-56 lead after another 3-pointer by Sokol with eight minutes left.

Cal State LA kept its advantage the rest of the way. After the Warriors cut it to 70-64 with five minutes remaining, a three-point play by Bell stretched the lead back to nine. Then, after the Warriors got to within 73-66 with 4:19 to go, the Golden Eagles got a jumper by Bell, a dunk by Pearre and a 3-pointer by Sokol to put the game out of reach. 

Cal State LA will return to action on Saturday afternoon with an important CCAA game against Chico State.