The Chico State men's basketball team is in a tie for first place at the midway point of the California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule. The Wildcats used another dominating defensive effort and their bench outscored Cal State East Bay's 38-8 in a 56-44 win in Hayward.
 

Isaiah Ellis matched his career high with 14 points and Jordan Barton finished with 12 points and seven rebounds as the Wildcats moved to 11-5 overall and 8-3 in the CCAA with their fourth straight win.
 
They're tied with Cal Poly Pomona, UC San Diego and Cal State Stanislaus for the conference lead.
 
Chico State limited the Pioneers to 16 first-half points and led by 14 at the break. The Wildcats have now held six of their last 10 opponents to 20 points or fewer in the first half.
 
Barton scored six unanswered points during a five-minute second-half stretch in which the Wildcats held Cal State East Bay scoreless to stretch the lead to 17 with 9:50 to play.
 
The Wildcats' grasp on first place will be challenged Saturday night at Cal State Monterey Bay, which knocked Cal State Stanislaus out of first place with an 80-60 drubbing Friday. The Otters are 9-8 overall and 5-6 in the CCAA, but boast home wins against two of the league's first-place teams: Cal State Stanislaus and UC San Diego.
 
The Wildcats improved to 7-1 away from home and 7-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points this season.