LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's men's basketball team picked up a big win on Wednesday night in University Gym and presented head coach Jim Saia with a milestone victory.

The Golden Eagles led from start to finish in a fast-paced 86-59 win over Fresno Pacific to pick up their first win of the season and the 300th in the successful college coaching career of Saia, who has accumulated his victories at Cal State LA, Cal State San Marcos, Fresno Pacific and as an interim head coach at USC. He had a record of 189-66 in eight seasons at Cal State San Marcos and Fresno Pacific and added 10 wins at USC. 

He picked up his 100th victory at Cal State LA - and 299th of his career - in the Golden Eagles' historic win over Cal State San Bernardino last spring that produced the first CCAA Tournament title in program history.

Cal State LA (1-2) jumped out to a quick 12-2 lead and never looked back against a Fresno Pacific team that was also looking for its first win of the season. The Golden Eagles led 44-34 at halftime and then outscored the Sunbirds, 42-25, in the second half.

Corey Cofield II had 22 points, five rebounds, five steals and two blocks for the Golden Eagles, while Raphael Gay also reached double figures with 11 points off the bench.

Liam Switzer led Fresno Pacific (0-3) with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Seth Brown had 15 points, all coming via five 3-pointers.

Kyjuan Cannady and Connor Scales had eight points each for the Golden Eagles, while Dominic Escobar, Shane Bell and Devin Ringer had seven points each. In all, Cal State LA got scoring from 11 players.

Cal State LA shot 49.2 percent for the game (31-of-63) and was 10-of-25 from 3-point range. Fresno Pacific shot 41.7 percent (20-of-48) and was 8-of-18 from 3-point range. Cal State LA was 14-of-20 from the free-throw line and Fresno Pacific was 11-of-15.

Fresno Pacific had a 34-32 rebounding edge, but Cal State LA had a big edge in turnovers, committing only 11 while forcing 28. Cal State LA had a 46-9 edge in points off turnovers.

Cal State LA set the tone early, scoring 10 straight points to take an early 12-2 lead. Cofield II hit three of four free-throws to start the run, Escobar hit a 3-pointer, Cannady hit a jumper and Cofield II made a basket with an assist from Bell to stake the Golden Eagles to the early lead.

Fresno Pacific got as close as five points, but a 3-pointer from Michael Pearson Jr., a layup by Scales and a 3-pointer from Devin Ringer boosted the lead back to 13 points at 26-13.

Cal State LA led late in the half by 13 points after a pair of free throws by Cofield II, but Brown hit a 3-pointer to make it 44-34 at halftime.

The Golden Eagles opened the second half with a dunk by Cannady and a pair of dunks to Cofield II to open up a quick 50-34 lead and led by double digits the rest of the way.

A 3-pointer by Martin Zarzuela gave the Golden Eagles their biggest lead, 86-50, with two minutes to go.

Cal State LA will return to action next Thursday at Azusa Pacific in a battle between NCAA West Region first-round opponents.