LOS ANGELES – It seemed too good to be true, and unfortunately for the Chico State men’s basketball team, it was. The Wildcats flushed four of their first five 3-pointers on the way to a double-digit first half lead against Cal State L.A. But the Golden Eagles, who boast the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring defense, shut the door in the second half and pulled away for a 71-62 win.

The Wildcats, who fell to 8-2 overall and 3-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), led by as many as 12 and had a 10-point advantage with 2:47 to go in the first half before Cal State L.A. clamped down. The Golden Eagles (7-2, 3-2 CCAA) outscored the Wildcats 49-29 from that point on, spurred by a 9-0 run spanning the end of the first half and beginning of the second.

The Wildcats didn’t score for 7:26 during that run and then went nearly three more minutes before scoring again. They also failed to make a field goal for 6:53 later in the stanza.

Wildcats point guard Jay Flores finished with 12 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals while turning the ball over just once. Damario Sims finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

But it was CSLA’s David Norris who stole the show and put a stop to Chico State’s three-game win streak against the Golden Eagles. The 6-foot-6 senior transfer from Sacramento State finished with 19 points and 20 rebounds. Weber State transfer Franklin Session chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Chris Robinson added 12 points and eight boards for the Golden Eagles, who outrebounded Chico State 50-33.

Their only two losses this season have come against 15th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills, the team that Chico State faces Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30.

Chico State’s large lead had turned into a 38-35 deficit early in the second half before the Wildcats’ offense reappeared for a short spurt that helped them regain control. They scored 15 points during a five-minute span to grab a 50-47 edge with 7:41 to play. Flores assisted on four of the six buckets and buried a 3-pointer during the barrage. But as quickly as it had ignited on his transition layup followed by his steal and assist on Sean Park’s fast-break bucket, it was snuffed out.

The Wildcats missed three shots and turned the ball over four times in their next seven possessions. The Golden Eagles took advantage on the other end, scoring five second-chance points and turning a steal into a breakaway dunk during an 11-0 run that gave them the lead for good at 58-50.

Chico State closed the gap to 60-55 with 1:57 remaining, but Session hit a free throw and then grabbed a steal preceding Norris’s dagger 3-pointer that came with 1:06 to play.

BOX SCORE

GAME NOTES – Roderick Hawkins averaged 23.5 points and 10 rebounds in two games against Cal State L.A. last season. But the Golden Eagles held him to just eight points and three boards…Cal State Dominguez Hills will be geared up to host Chico State Friday. The Wildcats upset the Toros and ended their season in the opening round of last year’s CCAA Championship Tournament…The Wildcats shot a season-low 62 percent from the line (16-for-26)…Hawkins made his only free throw to move into a tie for seventh on Chico State’s career free throws list with Aaron Martella with 242…Terence Pellum played only 10 minutes due to foul trouble, but blocked a pair of shots to bring his career total to 44, knotting him with Jayson Vossler for eighth on the school’s career list…Wildcats freshmen Amir Carraway (one rebound and one steal) and Rashad Parker (5 points, 2 rebounds and a blocked shot) played their most significant minutes of the year.