BOX SCORE Chico State 76, Sonoma State 68 -- Box Score

CHICO, Calif. -- A layup by Justin Herold with just under four minutes to play in regulation got the Sonoma State men's basketball team to within four points, but host Chico State drained seven free throws in the final 43 seconds, spelling a 76-68 defeat for the Seawolves on Friday night at Acker Gymnasium in Chico.  Sonoma drops to 3-14 this season with a 2-11 mark in the CCAA.  Chico rises to 13-4 and 9-4 in conference action.

After Herold's layin at the 3:55 mark of the second half, Chico State made a jumper and went 9 for 10 from the charity stripe while holding Sonoma State to 2 for 6 from the floor and 2 for 4 from the line in the same span to hold off the Seawolves late.  The Wildcats led for all but 11 seconds in the final period, but never led by more than nine points until a pair of free throws by Chico's Jordan Semple put the hosts up by 11 points with 11 ticks remaining.

Herold led the Seawolves with 15 points, followed by a 14-point, eight-rebound effort from Jason Walter.  James Davis chipped in with 12 points off the bench while Sterling Arterberry added 11.  Sonoma was 39.6 percent from the hardwood (21-53), but connected on just 65.4 percent of its free throws (17-26). 

Chico State took advantage of 17 Sonoma State turnovers, turning them into 26 points, whereas the Wildcats gave the ball away 10 times and the Seawolves managed just eight points in turn.  Semple netted 25 points to lead all scorers; it was one short of his career-high.  He did so in 33 minutes off the bench for Chico, who connected on 45.8 percent of its shots (22-48) and 86.2 percent from the free throw line (25-29).  Amir Carraway recorded 17 points while Rashad Parker and Giordano Estrada both had 10 each.

Sonoma State will play one final road game -- Saturday at Cal State Stanislaus tipping off at 7:30 pm -- before it will play six of its final eight games of the 2013-14 season at home.