BOX SCORE Cal State San Bernardino 78, Sonoma State 71 -- Box Score

ROHNERT PARK -- It was a rematch of last year's CCAA tournament opener, a game in which Sonoma State pulled out the win in the final seconds to eliminate Cal State San Bernardino.  However, it was the Coyotes to exact revenge on Friday night, defeating the Seawolves 78-71 behind the game-high 22 points from Jamari Simmons at The Wolves' Den in Rohnert Park.  The loss drops SSU to 6-9 overall and 4-7 in the CCAA as CSUSB remains one game out of a tie for first place at 9-2 in conference action (11-3 overall).

Justin Herold came off the bench to lead the Seawolves with 19 points on 9 of 13 shooting in 20 minutes of play, followed by 14 points from Steve Lackey, 13 from Patrick Scott and 10 out of the hands of Jason Walter.

It was all Cal State San Bernardino right from the get-go, jumping out to a 14-point, 22-8 lead just nine minutes into the contest.  Sonoma State wasn't going to back down, however, and eventually found a rhythm on both sides of the ball, getting to within four points at the half, 32-28.

The Seawolves' momentum carried over into the second half and the hosts turned the early 14-point deficit into a six-point lead at 43-37 with 14:45 to go in regulation.  From then on, both teams would go punch for punch, inside and outside.  At the 9:05 mark is when the Coyotes began to make its move, and on a thunderous slam dunk by Kwame Alexander that put the visitors up 61-59 with 5:16 left in regulation, Cal State San Bernardino refused to give up the lead, despite Sonoma State's efforts to get within two points one more time -- on a jumper by Herold with 2:25 left to put the score at 67-65.  CSUSB scored 11 of the game's next 17 points to put the game on ice.

The Coyotes' Simmons scored 18 of his game-high 22 points from beyond the three-point arc, going 6 for 9 from outside.  Alexander, who recorded a double-double in the first half alone with 11 points and 10 rebounds, finished with 15 and 14, respectively.  Brian Goins, Cal State San Bernardino's leading scorer coming into the ballgame, sat out the first half, but came back to finish with 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench.  CSUSB hit 11 three-pointers and finished 27 of 63 from the hardwood (42.9 percent).

Meanwhile, SSU was more efficient from the floor, connection on 27 of 53 shots (50.9 percent), but was just 6 for 16 from downtown.

Sonoma State will look to rebound on Saturday when it welcomes UC San Diego into The Wolves' Den.  Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.