Box Score
POMONA -- Cal State L.A.'s men's basketball team saw its season come to an end Tuesday in a first-round California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament game.
The No. 8 seed Golden Eagles put up a battle, but lost to No. 1 seed Cal Poly Pomona, 57-45, in Kellogg Gym. Cal State L.A., which is the last team to beat Cal Poly Pomona this season, wound up 14-14.
Cal State L.A. struggled on offense all night against Cal Poly Pomona's defense, shooting just 37 percent for the game. The Broncos, who won their 14th straight game, weren't much better, shooting just 43 percent against an inspired Cal State L.A. defense.
The Golden Eagles were out-rebounded, 36-32, and committed 13 turnovers to only eight for the Broncos (21-5).
Dwayne Jones had 16 points to lead the Golden Eagles, while
Carl Hoffman had eight points and three rebounds.
Leland Jones had six points and five rebounds, while
Nuno Furtado had five points and eight rebounds.
Donnelle Booker had 13 points and seven rebounds to lead Cal Poly Pomona. Austin Swift had 12 points, while Dahir Nasser had 10 points.
The Golden Eagles, who handed the Broncos a 54-53 defeat in Kellogg Gym earlier in ths season, hung right with the favored Broncos for most of the first half. After falling behind by six points early, the Golden Eagles tied the game at 14-14 after a layup by
Mark Dorsey and again at 16-16 after a basket by
Leland Jones.
Cal Poly Pomona, though, closed the half on a 13-5 run to open up a 29-21 halftime lead.
Cal State L.A., after some halftime adjustments, sliced the deficit to just six points, after a jumper by Dwayne Jones, but Cal Poly Pomona scored the next nine points and opened up a 42-27 advantage with 13:15 remaining.
The Broncos took their biggest lead of the game, 49-29, with 10:22 remaining after a layup by Booker, but Cal State L.A. refused to go away. A 3-pointer by
Dwayne Jones got the Golden Eagles to within 15 points, 51-36, with 4:24 remaining, but that was as close as the Golden Eagles would get until a three-point play by Furtado in the final minute.
Cal State L.A. ends the season with a 14-14 overall record after qualifying for the CCAA Championship Tournament for the second time in three years.