ROHNERT PARK – Holding a 14-point lead with seven minutes to play in regulation, the Sonoma State men's basketball team escaped with a nailbiting 61-59 victory over visiting Cal State East Bay Saturday night at The Wolves' Den in Rohnert Park.
 
With the victory, the Seawolves (11-6 overall) claimed sole possession of sixth place in the CCAA standings with a 6-5 mark against conference opponents.  The Pioneers, meanwhile, fell to 7-11 (3-8 CCAA).
 
Sonoma got off to a slow start, shooting just 3 for 11 in the first seven minutes of the contest as CSU East Bay drained four three pointers and was 5 for 9 to take an early 14-6 lead.  However, over the next 13 minutes, the Seawolves went on a 24-7 run, holding the Pioneers to just 3 of 14 shooting (1 of 6 beyond the arc) to take a 30-21 lead on a layup by Luke Cochran to open the second half.
 
Cal State East Bay chipped away at its deficit, pulling to within three points (34-31) with 16:25 to play in regulation.  Sonoma State went on another large run (21-9) over the next six minutes to take a 55-40 lead on an Andy Mitchell layup with 9:42 to go.  Both teams traded free throws during the next minute, and after two made free throws by David Ahern at 8:55, the Seawolves led by 14 at 57-43.  The Pioneers wouldn't go away quietly and after a 16-2 run, capped off by two made free throws by CSUEB's Ryan Okwudibonye with 1:49 to play in the contest, the ballgame was tied at 59-59.
 
On the ensuing possession for SSU, Khalid Johnson found Nathan Molony-Benjamin who went flying into the paint for a two-hand jam and the Seawolves' two-point lead with 1:27 on the clock.  The teams traded possessions, but couldn't score.  Cal State East Bay then found itself with the ball and less than 30 seconds on the clock, but four shot attempts in the final 17 seconds, one of which would have been the game-winning three-pointer by Jalen Richard at the buzzer, couldn't find the nylon as the Seawolves held on for the nailbiting win.
 
Cochran led the way with a career-high 16 points and Ahern added 15.  The Seawolves shot 49 percent on 24 of 49 from the floor.  The Pioneers were just 18 of 46 (39.1 percent) shooting on the night, including 10 of 27 (37.0 percent) from three-point range.  CSUEB was led by the 15 points of Jalen Richard.
 
Sonoma State hits the road for two games next weekend -- at Cal State L.A. Friday and at Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday -- before returning home for its final four home games of the season, starting on Feb. 5th against Cal Poly Pomona.