Box Score
CHICO -- Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team was unable to preserve a late lead in a big California Collegiate Athletic Association contest at Chico State.
The Golden Eagles were blanked over the final two minutes, while Chico State was perfect on four free-throw attempts and beat Cal State L.A., 62-61, Friday in Acker Gym. Cal State L.A. (12-5, 6-4 CCAA) slipped back into a third-place tie in the CCAA with Chico State (10-5, 6-4 CCAA) and two others.
Dwayne Jones had a game-high 23 points for the Golden Eagles, while
Chris Fields had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Leland Jones added 13 points.
Roderick Hawkins had a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double for Chico State, while Terence Pellum had 10 points and eight rebounds. Jon Baird had 13 points for the Wildcats.
Cal State L.A. held a 59-53 lead after a basket by
Dwayne Jones with 4:25 remaining, but was outscored the rest of the way, 9-2. A basket by
Leland Jones gave the Golden Eagles a 61-58 lead with 2:33 to go, but Chico State got two free throws from Hawkins with 1:27 to go to pull to within one and then got two game-winning free throws by Haskins with four seconds left.
A desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer by Jones did not fall.
Cal State L.A. shot 43.1 percent for the game, including 53.3 percent in the second half (16-of-30), while limiting Chico State to just 34.5 percent. The Golden Eagles held a 38-34 rebounding edge, but also committed 11 turnovers to eight for the Wildcats.
The difference in the game came at the free-throw line, where Cal State L.A. was only 4-of-8, while Chico State was 17-of-23. The Golden Eagles were just 2-of-6 in the second half, while Chico State was 13-of-15.
The Golden Eagles started quickly and opened up an 8-2 lead just four minutes into the game. The Golden Eagles still led by six points, 22-16, after a basket by
Carl Hoffman with 6:12 left in the half. Chico State, though, closed out the first period on a 10-2 run to take a 26-24 halftime lead.
Chico State took a pair of three-point leads early in the second half, but a steal and dunk by Fields gave the Golden Eagles a 30-29 lead and Cal State L.A. boosted the lead to five points, 34-29, after back-to-back baskets by
Dwayne Jones.
The Wildcats took a 43-42 lead after a 3-pointer by Baird, but baskets by Leland Jones and
Dwayne Jones and a 3-pointer by
Dwayne Jones fueled a 7-0 run that put the Golden Eagles ahead, 51-45. Another 3-pointer by
Dwayne Jones kept the Golden Eagles ahead, 54-48, with 6:40 remaining and another basket by Jones gave the Golden Eagles their 59-53 lead with 4:25 to go.
Leland Jones' basket made it 61-58 with 2:33 to go, but the Golden Eagles missed their final four shots, opening the door for the Wildcats and Hawkins, who made all four of his free-throw attemps down the stretch.
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with another road game at Cal State Stanislaus.