BOX SCORE Sonoma State 68, Cal State L.A. 64 -- Box Score
ROHNERT PARK -- James Davis scored a game-high 21 points before exiting with an injury late in the game and
Steve Lackey dropped in two of his career-high 18 points from the free throw line with two seconds left to clinch Sonoma State's 68-64 victory over Cal State L.A. on Friday night at The Wolves' Den in Rohnert Park. The Seawolves improve to 4-15 overall and 3-12 in the CCAA while the Golden Eagles remain in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings at 9-6 (12-7 overall).
Despite earning just its third conference win this season, Sonoma State still clings to an outside chance to qualify for the six-team CCAA tournament on Mar. 6-8 in Ontario. With seven regular season games left, five of which are at home, the Seawolves are five games out of the sixth and final spot currently held by San Francisco State (8-7).
Friday's contest featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes and Sonoma State eventually erased an 11-point deficit with 11:26 to go in regulation to earn the four-point triumph. From the 11:26 mark on, the Seawolves went on a 15-3 run over the next four and a half minutes to take a 54-53 lead, capped by three free throws by Davis after being fouled during a three-point attempt. Neither team would lead by more than three points the rest of the way until Lackey's free shots with two ticks left sealed the win.
The first half was a definite see-saw battle as SSU and CSULA never led by more than five points at any one time and each team would score just 28 points in the first 20 minutes of play.
Davis went 5 for 11 from the floor, including 4 of 6 from long range; he also sank 7 of 8 free throws before suffering an injury on another three-point attempt in which he got fouled with nine seconds left in the ballgame. He was unable to continue and the Golden Eagles called upon
Justin Herold to attempt the three foul shots in Davis' absense. Up by only two tallies with the aforementioned nine seconds remaining, Herold missed all three attempts from the stripe, giving Cal State L.A. new life. However, on its next possession, CSULA missed its potential game-tying shot with two seconds left and a deadball foul on the Golden Eagles put Lackey on the line at the other end to give the Seawolves the win. Lackey scored 12 of his career-best 18 points in the second period; he added six rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes of play. No other Seawolf scored in double figures.
Both teams were nearly identical in shot percentage, but Cal State L.A. had the slight edge at 41.5 percent (22-53), besting Sonoma State's 41.3 percent clip (19-46).
For Cal State L.A., Quinton Watkins had a team-high 19 points on 6 of 19 from the hardwood and 6 of 8 from the line. Duce Zaid added 18 points followed by James Tillman with 13.
Sonoma State will look to keep its winning ways on Saturday when it plays host to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Pack The Den Night. Tipoff is scheduled from 7:30 pm in The Wolves' Den.
