BOX SCORE Cal State L.A. 66, Sonoma State 56  --  Box Score

LOS ANGELES  --  Sonoma State overcame a big first half deficit to take a lead early in the second, but another Cal State L.A. surge left the Seawolves on the losing end of a 66-56 decision at the Eagles Nest on Saturday evening.  The Seawolves got 15 points from Will Olsem and 14 from Patrick Scott, however it wasn't enough to keep them from dropping their third straight contest.  Sonoma goes to 9-13, 7-11 CCAA with the loss while CSULA improves to 14-8, 11-7 CCAA.

The defeat drops the Seawolves into a tie for eighth place in the CCAA with Humboldt State.  The Lumberjacks have won two in a row, leaving the old foes on even ground with four games to go in the race for the final spot in the CCAA Tournament.  UC San Diego is seventh at 8-10, one game up on Sonoma and Humboldt, with Cal State Stanislaus one game behind, at 6-12.

An ominous start for Sonoma saw a Will Olsem three-pointer account for the team's only points in the first ten minutes of the game.  Down 21-3, few would have given the Seawolves much of a chance. However, an 18-6 run by the Seawolves saw the lead sliced to just six at the break, at 27-21.

The Seawolves continued hacking away at the lead early in the second half and when Patrick Scott raced towards the basket for an emphatic fast break dunk, the lead was completely eradicated, giving the visitors their first lead of the night, 34-33.

The Golden Eagles would wrestle the lead back, however, and after Justin Herold missed an opportunity to tie the game at 38 on a free throw, CSULA pounded out nine consecutive points to build their edge back to double digits.  Seven points was as close as Sonoma would get the rest of the way.

Will Olsem hit five three-pointers to give him a team-high 15 points.  All of his shot attempts came from behind the arc. 

Patrick Scott, who entered the weekend as the conference's leading scorer, finished with 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting. 

Sonoma State shot 43.4% from the field, but decisive advantages by Cal State L.A. in shooting (54.5%) and rebounding (34-25) spelled the difference.  Both teams committed 20 turnovers.

Quinton Watkins had 19 points to lead all scorers, for Cal State L.A..

Sonoma State will return home for their final two games of the season next weekend.  Friday features a huge matchup against Humboldt State and Saturday will see the 4th-ranked team in the country, Cal Poly Pomona, invade The Wolves' Den.