CHICO, Calif. -- For the first 29 minutes of regulation, neither team would lead by more than five points at any one time, but with 11 minutes left in the second half and a two-point lead, the Sonoma State men's basketball team surrendered a 13-0 run to Chico State over the next two minutes and the deficit would prove to be too much to overcome in Saturday's 64-59 loss at Acker Gym in Chico. 

The Seawolves (8-6, 5-5 CCAA) have plummeted from atop the CCAA standings and into a three-way tie for sixth place with their fourth straight loss.  The Wildcats, meanwhile, have won six consecutive games against SSU, improving to 10-5 and 7-3 in the CCAA this season.

It was a classic back-and-forth battle between the two rivals for much of the game with both squads going punch-for-punch.  However, just as Sonoma State would go on a 9-2 run midway through the second half to recapture a 37-35 lead, Chico State reeled off 13 unanswered points all scored by its freshmen, including seven straight out of the hands of Isaiah Ellis, that opened up an 11-point Wildcat lead at 48-37 with 9:11 to play.

James Davis and Mike Harris then combined to score 11 of the Seawolves' next 19 points and the defense held the Wildcats to 10 points to get the visitors within just two points at 60-58 with 23 seconds left in the contest, but Chico State held on in the end, securing the victory at the free throw line for the eventual five-point win in front of its 1,273 fans at Acker.

Davis netted a game-high 20 points, JJ Mina came off the bench to chip in 12 points and Harris added 10 before fouling out in the final seconds.  Sonoma State, the CCAA's third-best shooting team, which entered Saturday's game hit 47.3 percent of its shots, was held to just 38.6 percent by the Chico State defense, connecting on just 17 of 44 attempts from the hardwood.

Chico State had just one player score in double figures -- the freshman Ellis, who put down 13 tallies for the hosts, adding nine rebounds to the mix.  The Wildcats hit 40.4 percent of their shots (23-57).  Chico also held the advantage in rebounds (38-31), points in the paint (32-16) and second chance points (15-1).

Sonoma State returns home for a brief two-game homestand to wrap up the first half of the CCAA schedule next Friday (vs Cal State L.A.) and Saturday (vs Cal State Dominguez Hills) at The Wolves' Den before heading back out on the road for another four-game roadtrip.  Tipoff both nights is scheduled for 7:30 pm.